When I was young
by mucwriter
Summary: Gretl has questions for her Fräulein. Tons of questions. Answering them opens wounds that Maria would rather forget about. An unexpected friend helps her come to terms with her past experiences.
1. Chapter 1

_And again, his story just wanted out. It'll explore a little bit of Maria's past in the coming chapter(s)._

 **When I was young**

„Fräulein Maria?" Little Gretl sat next to her governess in the shade of a large oak tree. Maria and the children just had a picnic lunch in a remote part of the huge gardens of the villa. In the midday heat, everyone was drowsy and ready for a little nap – except for Gretl, apparently. "Yes, dear?" Maria answered, expecting a typical Gretl question like "why is the sky blue?" or "how do horses sleep?" But the girl's thoughts were on other matters today, it seemed. "What was your favorite song when you were a little girl?" she asked. Maria looked at the five-year-old and began to hum

But the girl's thoughts were on other matters today, it seemed. "What was your favorite song when you were a little girl?" she asked. Maria looked at the five-year-old and began to hum _Guten Abend, gut' Nacht_ – Brahm's lullaby. Gretl smiled sleepily at her governess, resting her little head in Maria's lap and let the soothing song carry her to sleep. Maria also closed her eyes for a few relaxing minutes.

After their doze in the shade, Maria and her charges had an action-filled afternoon. They played games, they even had a very practical biology lesson when Louisa collected one critter or another. And they splashed in the lake, even though nobody was willing to run back to the house to get appropriate swimwear. The children got wet and then their play clothes dried in the heat and sunshine of the day.

Finally, they made their way back into the house – to wash up and to dress for dinner, just like their father wanted them to. Maria went into her room and took a quick shower, relaxing for a moment as the cool water ran down her back. After drying off, she looked for the lightest dress she had made for herself in Captain von Trapp's employ. It was pale pink, her and Martha's favorite color, and the fabric was a lightweight linen, cool and nice to the touch.

She dried her hair, dressed and went towards the rooms of her charges – not expecting how emotionally draining this particular evening would become for her. However, she looked forward to the day's dinner as the baroness had gone to Carinthia in the south of Austria, to "visit some dear friend, you won't mind, Georg darling, will you?" Herr Detweiler was in town tonight meeting with some investors, so it was a family dinner.

A family dinner – as inappropriate as the thought was, that's what it felt like. She had come to love the von Trapps just like she imagined she would love her own family. Sadly, she had not much recollection of what it was like to be loved by relatives. She pushed away the gloomy thoughts and made her way to the nursery to see if any of the children needed her help.

However, Liesl and Brigitta were helping the little ones with their dresses and hair, so everything appeared to be in order. Martha looked up at her governess in awe and said "Fräulein Maria, your dress is so pretty." She had helped Maria select the fabric when they were in town about a week ago, and had naturally gone for her own favorite color. Maria had found a pattern that was not only good for the fabric, but also flattered her slim figure. Today was the first time that she actually wore her creation.

Maria stroked the cheeks of the shyest von Trapp child. "We did well", she said. Martha looked up at her with a question in her eyes. "You chose a beautiful fabric and we selected the pattern together, I only sewed it together." The seven-year-old knew that it wasn't that easy and that her Fräulein had spent quite a bit of time actually working on the garment. She came up to her governess and the two of them hugged. Martha liked that Fräulein Maria never pushed the children away if they wanted to touch her or hug her, even if she had just put on fresh, unwrinkled clothes. She had never known another female who allowed her to do that.

They made their way to the dining room, meeting the Captain en route. He greeted his children warmly and asked how their day in the oppressive summer heat was. He had been in town the entire day, attending several meetings that had long been scheduled. He was tired, but not too tired to listen to his children attentively as has become his habit after their reconciliation. The children told him all about their adventures in the gardens, and not for the first time Georg thought how lucky they all were to have Maria as their governess.

Maria. When had he started thinking about her simply as Maria? Probably soon after their fight by the lake, if he was honest with himself. Maria, the pretty tomboy that the Mother Abbess had sent to his villa in Aigen. The young woman who didn't seem to fit into their lives, but was perfect for them all. When they all took their places around the table, he looked at her for the first time tonight. How pretty she looked in that dress that he had never seen before. Her freckles were quite prominent after days and days in the sunshine, not just the ones across her face, but also the ones on her arms and around the collarbones that were visible tonight. Georg enjoyed the view and smiled at her across the table. Then he nodded at her and Maria said grace, just like she did before every meal nowadays.

Although Captain Georg von Trapp was not a religious man, he appreciated the effort. And he liked the orderliness it brought to the table. Elsa had asked him a couple of days ago whether it was necessary to have "the little governess" say grace before every meal, and he was surprised at his strong reaction. He felt himself get angry at the belittlement of Maria, and had to take a deep breath before simply saying "I don't see why she shouldn't." And that was that. Elsa was smart enough not to pick that particular fight.

Now they were all enjoying their Wiener Schnitzel and potato salad. A good meal for a hot day and hungry children, Maria mused, as the potatoes were lukewarm, just like they are supposed to be and the fresh cucumbers tasted great. Maria valued the excellent food that she enjoyed every day. Never before in her life did she have such a wealth of fresh and tasty dishes. The food in the Abbey was good enough, she supposed, as the Sisters grew their own vegetables and made a point of have balanced meals every day. But they were simple, just like her life at the abbey – and yet they were heaven compared to what she had before, when she was growing up on her uncle's farm high up in the mountains.

It was too cold most of the year to cultivate any kind of vegetables up there, and she hardly ever got any meat. They had a few chickens, so at least she had a constant supply of eggs – but more often than not she had to cook the traditional mash made of eggs, milk and flour that all the farmers ate*. It wasn't especially nutritious, but it appeased the hunger. And it was bland, so dreadfully bland, whatever one tried to do with the thick dough.

The Schnitzel, however, was delicious. The breading had several spices in it, the meat was thin and tender. And then there was the elderflower spritz that everybody drank, even the Captain. The children and Maria had picked the blossoms of the elder bushes and made tasty syrup in the early summer, just after she had started working at the villa. Now they mixed it with sparkling water, a drink that everyone enjoyed. After having eaten their main dish, the Captain clapped his hands and smirked, looking at each of his children in turn. "Now, I have a surprise for you", he said.

They all looked at each other, questions in their eyes. He shooed them out to the terrace, where the air had gotten at least a little cooler – and there on the massive stone table they found ice cream and strawberries. The children were overjoyed and so was their governess. Ice cream was a rare treat. She smiled at the Captain, thanking him silently for having such a good idea.

After everyone sat around the table with their dessert, Gretl picked up her questioning from earlier. "Fräulein Maria, when you were a little girl, what was your favorite dish?" she asked. Maria looked at her for a long while, deep in thought – remembering her limited choices. "When I was very little, I enjoyed mashed potatoes very much", she said. "Did your mother prepare them for you?" Gretl asked. Maria swallowed. "Yes", she said. "Does she still cook your favorite dishes when you come home to visit your parents?"

Maria felt tears come to her eyes. Gretl's questions were so innocent, but they brought back such painful memories. Liesl saw her Fräulein choke up and motioned for Gretl not to ask any more questions. But the little girl misunderstood her oldest sister. "Does she cook different things now, things you don't like?" For Gretl, that was the only explanation why Maria became so sad all of a sudden. "No…, no. She doesn't cook anymore", Maria said. "Is she too old to cook?", the five-year-old persisted. "No, Gretl. My mother died a long time ago", she said through her tears.

Suddenly, her appetite was gone. The vanilla ice cream lost all its taste, and she could feel the Captain's worried eyes on her. She excused herself from the table quickly, before her tears overwhelmed her. While she walked quickly towards the lake, she heard her employer call out to a confused Gretl, "come here, my baby". "Did I ask something I shouldn't have?" she asked her father worriedly. "No", the Captain said. "No, you couldn't have known that her mother died".

The children all felt with their governess. They knew what it was like to lose their mother. But they still had their father. And surely, so did their Fräulein. Liesl rounded the children up and promised her father that they would help them get to bed. "We are all tired. Good night, father." He bid them all goodnight and sat back in his chair.

What had happened? Maria was usually such a happy and sensible woman. He didn't know why she was so upset by Gretl's naïve questions. But then, he didn't know much about her life before she came to be their governess. There must be more to her emotions, he thought. Come to think of it, she talked to the children all the time and encouraged them to share their thoughts and memories of their own mother. But she had never talked about her past, how she became a postulant and what her own childhood was like.

He always assumed that she must have had an intact family; parents, probably several siblings, as was the usual in the average catholic family in Austria. She seemed to be such a happy, balanced young women with so many skills. She was a gifted musician with a beautiful voice, an accomplished seamstress, she could cook and bake, the children had told him. And she had a teaching diploma, something rather outstanding in the days when most women stayed at home and never had a chance to attend university.

The captain wondered, not for the first time, how all the pieces of this Fräulein Maria Rainer fit together. He heard the children upstairs, getting ready for bed. And he decided to go find their governess, to give his support and to lend an open ear if she wanted to talk. But when he turned toward the lake, he couldn't find the tall, slim figure of the young woman that meant so much to his children.

*I forgot what the name of this "dish" was, but the farmers in the Alps actually ate this, several times a week in fact. Needless to say, it was neither especially healthy nor nutritious.

-schnipp-

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own The Sound of Music or any of its characters.**_

Please let me know what you think. I'm very open to suggestions ;)


	2. Chapter 2

_It took a while, I know. And it's probably not what you expected._

 _But still, I hope you enjoy chapter two of this story._

XxXxX

Georg von Trapp looked around the grounds from the elevated stone terrace of the villa. He looked at the rose garden and the maze, let his eyes drift across the meadow towards the gazebo. But nowhere could he see the upset young woman that had left the table only a few minutes ago. He was sure she had run toward the lake, but his eyes couldn't find her. He went with his instincts, after all, they had served him well in many a situation. The captain walked toward the broad stone landing, and finally he could make out faint sniffles. He saw her sitting in the rowboat that was moored underneath an old oak tree. The governess was a picture of misery, never had he seen the young woman like this. She was always so cheerful and in good spirits. Whatever nerve Gretl had unconsciously hit, the words of his little girl had hurt Maria deeply.

Maria. That's who she had become to him. She never was the "little Fräulein", as Elsa liked to call her so condescendingly. Yes, she was a postulant and she was the governess for the summer. But he never looked down at her. Their yelling match right here at this very landing had opened his eyes to the person Maria was: Young, unconventional and very passionate about his children. And pretty to boot. She had taken his children's side, fought for them. That took courage, he knew. Her words had come back to him, time and time again. How his children needed him, their father. How they were growing up without him recognizing it. How he needed to guide them and teach them. She was right, in everything she had said and accused him of. She made him listen – and he heard all she said, even what she'd told him between the lines.

In the following weeks, he had done his best to change, to be there for them all. He had bonded with his brood, through all kinds of activities that Maria always encouraged. In the beginning, she had suggested that he spend a day with every child individually, getting to know his offspring once more. What a marvelous idea that was! Through the activities that each child chose, he had learned so many things.

XxXxX

Liesl had indeed become the young lady that Maria had hinted at. She was beautiful, just like his late wife had been. And she had developed a good set of morals, he thought. After a long day of visiting several churches around Salzburg on Liesl's insistence, she had talked to him about the telegram deliverer, her boyfriend. "It just doesn't feel right to sneak out behind your back, father", she had simply said. He was floored by her honesty and trust. He had hugged her to his chest tightly and asked to get to know the young man who had foolishly used the Nazi's ridiculous greeting with him.

Georg and his eldest daughter talked like two adults, about many topics. They talked about Agathe and about the time after her death, when Liesl was practically a mother to her younger siblings. He learned that she had a keen interest in art history, thus her wish to visit some of the churches that were hard to reach without a car from Aigen. Her knowledge was amazing, and he was sure she would wish to attend university and study the field more in depth.

Friedrich was both angry and confused. He was at an awkward age and Georg realized that he was desperately looking for a role model to look up to. Just like his brother and sisters, he hadn't seen much of his father in the last couple of years, growing up surrounded by girls. Georg took the car out to one of the paved roads outside Salzburg and sped along with his oldest son who was enjoying the time with his father. They talked about the facts of life, and Georg answered all questions that Friedrich had, man to man. He found out that his son was rather shy and introverted, but had a great head for music. While his singing was somewhat difficult at the moment, he had learned to play the piano very well and could also play the guitar and the violin. Georg vowed to himself to spend as much time as possible with his oldest boy, to help him find his way and show him the opportunities life had to offer to a gifted musician like him.

Louisa, his tomboy, wanted to go horseback riding. So he took her out to the stables and went on a long trip with her, bringing along a picnic backpack. They rode through the beautiful countryside, enjoying the opportunity to be wild and free. When they finally agreed on a spot for their picnic lunch, Louisa and he quarreled, yelled at each other and fought for a good while, although none of the two could remember what the trigger was. Suddenly, he saw that tears were streaming down Louisa's face and she was fighting for control. He went closer to her and simply took her in his arms without a word. He apologized profoundly to his most hotheaded child and she said that she was trying to understand why he behaved in such a way to his children who were also missing their mother so much. Georg shed a few tears as well and tried his best to explain, to make Louisa understand how difficult the time after Agathe's death was for him. She seemed to realize what he was trying to put into words and was very touched by his obvious emotions. Again and again he thought that she was so much like him, hotheaded but also very passionate about the people and things she cared about. They agreed to talk to each other frequently and openly, and went back to the stables long after sunset - in a race that Louisa won.

Kurt surprised him most. He had learned in the last couple of weeks that his younger son easily ate as much as himself, and was still constantly hungry. "Just like your mother", he told the boy when they were en route to their location. Like all the children, Kurt was starved for information about his mother, as he hardly had any memories of her or any other mother figure, until Fräulein Maria came along. "Really?" he asked in surprise. "But she looks so slim on the photograph that we have of her." "She was", the Captain confirmed, "but she was always on the move, chasing you kids, playing and running with you." "Just like Fräulein Maria", Kurt said.

Yes, Georg thought. Just like Maria. The young woman was so much like Agathe in many regards, and yet so very different in others. He had never thought much about it, but suddenly many things became very clear. This was the moment when he swore to himself that he would get to know the postulant better who had been sent from the abbey – and had become their own personal savior, it seemed.

Kurt had wished for a visit in the kitchens of the Hotel Goldener Hirsch, the finest in the city. Not only did he like to eat, he was also very interested in food and how the ingredients of a meal were put together in order to prepare a fine dish. That interest was unusual for an eleven-year-old, Georg thought. But with his connections he could grant Kurt his wish and was surprised when the boy asked many questions and actually helped the kitchen staff prepare some of the food. During their dinner Georg asked the boy about his knowledge and skill. "Fräulein Maria taught me a lot about fruit and vegetables, what to do with them, how to handle and prepare them. Whenever we'd go on one of our picnics, she would make sure we'd go to the market in the city first and buy fresh things. She made us all try everything and figure out what we liked and what we didn't like."

Georg was impressed, as especially fresh vegetables were not necessarily what his children loved to eat. "She also encouraged me to talk to our chef, learn about the composition of meals. And after a while I was allowed to help, to prepare things, to peel, to cut – everything that needs to be done." Georg sat stunned. He remembered how he hated each and every minute he had to spend in the kitchens of the ships he served on as a young sailor. Peeling potatoes was always the worst punishment for whatever he might have done against the rules.

Father and son had a few good laughs about their adventures in the kitchen and Kurt promised to prepare the food for their next picnic. "But you won't be able to taste anything then, father. You never come with us", he said innocently. Georg had already vowed to himself that he would get to know that mountain that their Fräulein called her own. He wanted to know what was so special about that place – after all, there were so many mountains around their beautiful hometown. "Oh, I will, next time you go. I promise you that."

For his bookworm Brigitta the Captain had prepared a very special trip. They went to Vienna, where they could see one of the very few editions of Guttenberg's first bible that was on exhibition in the National Library. Brigitta was in awe of the elaborate work and the history, and of the incredible amount of books that she could see. But even more than that, she reveled in the time she spent with her father. Besides Martha, his middle daughter was the most sensitive of the children and would tear up when things got too intense. But her tears were very different from the angry tears that Louisa had shed. Brigitta just wanted the world around her to be her save haven, a place from which she didn't have to escape into the fictional worlds of her books.

Martha was the child that Georg felt most indebted to – he had consciously avoided her seventh birthday just a few weeks ago. Sitting in Vienna, he had not been good company on that day. Of course he knew all his childrens' birthdays, and he had fled Salzburg, knowing that it was hard for Martha and the other children to celebrate their special days. And even harder without their father around. So first, he took the other early riser beside himself out to a very posh breakfast in one of Salzburg's finest cafés, and treated his little girl like a very special lady. After the shops had opened, he made sure she got her pink parasol. And a pretty dress to go with it. Martha also had a lot of questions about her mother and felt very sad that she couldn't remember her at all. Georg recaptured stories from the life of the von Trapps at the times when all the children came along.

And then it was time for his biggest surprise: since it was Saturday, he found a matinee performance by a very famous ballet company. He took his little girl, and both were overwhelmed by the powerful music and the beautiful dancing. Martha was fast asleep on the way back in the car after such an eventful and special day. But after her father had tenderly put her to bed with the help of Fräulein Maria, she unconsciously held on to him for a long while.

He lay down beside Martha in the small bed and let her fall back into her deep slumber, thinking about all the things he had done wrong since his Agathe had died. And he shed tears in the dark. Tears that wouldn't come after she had taken her last breath, after the funeral or at special dates after that. His sadness had change into anger and sarcasm, a behavior he deeply regretted. And now, after a beautiful day with the girl he hardly knew but loved with all his heart, he finally broke down and cried.

That's how Fräulein Maria found him after a long time, on her round to look in to all the childrens' rooms before she retired to bed herself. She sat beside him on the bed and handed him her white lacy handkerchief, too overwhelmed by this formidable man's honest tears to do anything else. He didn't feel embarrassed that she had seen him like this. He didn't try to hide. He knew she understood. She gave him a hand getting up from Martha's bed and wiped some of the moisture away from his cheek. They made their way out of the little girl's room hand in hand. And when they separated by the door, she gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.

The very next day was Gretl's turn. With her, Georg went to a "Wildpark" close by. Not really a zoo, but a huge park where all the animals could be observed that are native to the mountainous regions of Austria. Gretl had a lot of fun with her "Papa" and was mostly happy about the fact that she could ask him any question that came to mind, lots of them how he was as a boy. And that she could snuggle up to him or hold his hand whenever she felt like it. Never had she experienced such warmth from her father – and she hoped that this man never changed back to the Captain von Trapp she had grown up with until now.

So Maria's gentle encouragement and support had basically brought his children back. He was so proud of each and every one of them of their knowledge and their accomplishments. And finally, two days after his excursion with his youngest daughter, he made it up to Maria's mountain. They did what they always did, and he accompanied them happily. They went to the market and bought a wide array of food that they carried in the baskets that they had brought along. The Captain was astonished how well his children listened to their Fräulein and how attentive they were to each other. Maria would do a little bit of teaching here and there, but the children weren't even aware as she wrapped the mini-lessons up in games that were challenging and fun for everyone.

As he lay in bed that night, he couldn't remember a happier day in a long, long time. Everybody got along splendidly, there was music, games and laughter. The food on the picnic blanket was simple yet tasty, and Kurt, with Maria's guidance, had even picked wildflowers from a nearby meadow and threw together a colorful and delicious salad for the family. Georg had been given a second chance with his children. And he was determined not to waste it.

XxXx

Now he was walking along the landing towards his very unhappy governess. Maria was sitting on the hard wooden bench of the old rowboat, still crying her eyes out, it seemed. And he had no idea how he could make her tears stop, how to make her feel better. But he would find out. Even if he couldn't solve her problem, he could be there for her, just like she had been for him, for them. He pulled his own starched handkerchief out of his pocket and approached the vessel slowly. He did not want to frighten or spook her.

She heard his footsteps on the stones and turned her head to see who was disturbing her in her misery. As soon as she saw his shoes and the familiar grey trousers, she tried to hide her face in her hands. She didn't want to see anyone in this particular moment. But there he was, her handsome employer – and he surprised her. He leaned down towards her, gestured to the rowboat and asked "would you like to go on a little tour on the lake?" When she didn't answer for a while, he sat down opposite her, shaking the wooden boat quite a bit. He checked the oars and looked at her, repeating his question quietly: "May I take you on a ride?" She slowly nodded her assent and he pushed the boat away from the landing. With powerful strokes he took them away from the villa, around the waters of the lake.

-schnipp-

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own The Sound of Music or any of its characters.**_

Flashbacks seem to find me - I hope it wasn't too confusing. Please... let me know what you think :)


	3. Chapter 3

Both stayed silent for the longest time. For Georg, that was not too unusual. But he couldn't remember a time when he had seen Maria with the children when she had been still or quiet for any length of time. She was either moving or running, explaining something, singing or humming, answering a question or gently keeping the children in line. That observation made him offer the ride - since she wasn't running, he thought movement might nevertheless be the key to make her feel better.

She was still deep in thought, yet her tears had dried somewhat. She looked around her, toward the villa and finally at the Captain, who was concentrating on rowing the boat. "Thank you", she finally said in his direction, her voice shaky. "Whatever for?" he asked, genuinely confused by her words. "For so many things, but right now, for being here." "It's nothing", he said. "Yes, it is. Nobody has ever done anything like this for me."

Georg couldn't believe his ears. Opposite him sat a beautiful young woman, headstrong and opinionated perhaps, but also warm, caring, compassionate, gentle, and a host of other good things. Beautiful in every way. Surely, she had admirers, friends, relatives who cared for her. People who supported her, other than the sisters at Nonnberg Abbey.

Apparently, the questions were in his eyes, for Maria started talking. "I don't know why Gretl's questions hurt so badly today. They were so innocent, she was just her curious self and she asks questions all the time." The Captain had to grin at this, but his concern was still there. "It's not like today is a special day or the anniversary of their deaths", she continued, in a voice so soft that Georg had a hard time hearing her. The dots started to connect in his head. "Whose deaths?" he asked in a gentle voice.

She looked into his eyes and started quietly: "Both my parents died when I was Gretl's age. My mother had scarlet fever, and my father had a bad case of pneumonia the winter after she died." Tears started rolling down her cheeks when she stated the sad facts. At the mention of scarlet fever, the Captain gasped - exactly the disease that took his late wife from him.

"Do you have any siblings?" he asked. "No, I don't. My mother was pregnant when she caught the fever. She had no chance. My father was never the same after her death. I remember very little because I was only five years old at that time. But I do remember that we were a happy little family. We had enough money to live, and we had each other. My mother and my father were so happy together. And they let me know that they were very pleased to have me. They always called me their sunshine."

"My father was a carpenter, my mother was a seamstress. They both loved books and music. They read to me all the time, and my mother was always humming little tunes and singing, encouraging me to sing along with her. They had also started to teach me how to read." She paused, and took a deep breath. "They thought I was a smart girl. They often said they wanted me to learn as much as I can, to go to university, if possible. They both stressed that they never wanted me to be dependent on somebody else. If I found love, my mother said, she wanted me to be the happiest girl on earth. But she never wanted me to be an inferior housewife who would not have the means to provide for herself and any children I might have. Of course, I didn't understand it at that time, I just had fun learning my letters and putting words together."

"That was very progressive thinking on your parents side", the Captain said. It was fairly unusual for that time, when many people didn't send their daughters to school any longer than was absolutely necessary and then made them work to support their families or marry them off to some boy. "Yes, it was", she agreed. "And I honored their wishes, although they will never know", she said. She fell silent again, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.

After a while, Georg had reached one of the many tiny islands in the lake. After a particularly strong pull on the oars, he had half of the boat on the sandy surface. He hopped out and offered Maria a strong hand. "Thank you", she said, when her small hand was engulfed in his much larger, delightfully warm hand.

He looked around himself, and finally took off his jacket and spread it on the ground. "That's as good as it will get", he said, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. Maria looked at the jacket and then at him. "More than enough", she said as she lowered herself on the makeshift blanket. "I was always a tomboy, I never had the luxury of plenty or fine clothes. I would usually have dresses made of sturdy material that would not tear easily. So this is more than fine with me."

"And yet you know how to make clothes for yourself, to find patterns that flatter your figure and colors that suit you well", he observed. Maria looked at him, genuinely surprised. "I didn't think you'd notice", she said. "Oh, I do notice, Maria, I notice the soft colors you are wearing and the stunning figure underneath", he thought, but kept silent. He just smiled at the young woman. The lights from the villa cast a soft light, just enough that they could see each other.

"If you don't mind my asking – what happened to you after your parent's deaths?" Her blue eyes looked at him intently. She was pondering how much of her miserable childhood to actually tell him. He was, after all, a stranger. A man who she didn't really know, who was rich and famous, who had brought a Baroness to this villa whom he apparently intended to marry. On the other hand, that was probably what made it so attractive to talk to him and share all the burdens of her young life. She would never get really close to him. It was just not in the cards for her.

Maria sighed deeply. She had never spoken to anyone about her past, not even to the Reverend Mother. Whenever she was asked about her childhood years, she would only say as much as necessary. But here, with Captain von Trapp, she felt save. She finally felt like she had finally arrived somewhere and was accepted for who she was. So after taking a deep breath, she began.

"After my father passed away, I was brought to the orphanage at Nonnberg Abbey. It was only a few days before my sixth birthday, and we had no relatives living around here. I knew that my mother's parents had passed away before I was born, and my father's father never returned from the Great War. His mother had been involved in a carriage accident and was trampled to death by a horse a few years later."

„So it appeared I didn't have any living relatives close by. That's why they put me in the orphanage. I was apparently a very quiet child and they didn't really know what to do with me. However, they were very surprised that I could read and I could sing tunes right on pitch. So they put me into the school even though I was actually too young to attend primary school at that time. I was just one of many girls and nobody really cared especially for me. The nuns had their hands full with all the orphans after the Great War. They did as much as they could and they cared as well if they could for us."

"As far as I remember, life was bearable at the Abbey. I succeeded in my studies and I sang all the time, not necessarily to the amusement of the nuns. However, they never really stopped my singing. After about a year, when I felt fairly secure at the Abbey, a relative suddenly showed up. An uncle I had never heard of. He was my mother's half brother. She hardly ever had contact with him and the two didn't care for each other much. But there he was, a blood relative. He was ordering me to come with him. I couldn't do very much about that being only seven years old at the time. And the nuns didn't have much choice. He was related to me, and they were happy about every mouth that they didn't have to feed."

Maria took another deep breath, pausing in the recollection of her story. Georg suddenly had a feeling that her story was getting much worse and reached for her hand that was busy pulling weeds from the ground. He took the cold hand in his warm one and stroked his thumb across her knuckles. "You don't have to continue if it is too painful for you", he said, looking at her tenderly. He wanted to pull her into the safe circle of his arms, to comfort her. But for now he kept stroking her hand.

Maria shook her head, feeling secure enough to continue. "He brought me to an old farmhouse somewhere up in the mountains. There was an unkempt woman there who said she was my aunt. Later, I found out that they were not married and lived together in sin, as the nuns would say. Both of them didn't look like they had any money to spare, and the place was everything but well maintained. They put me into a little chamber that only had a small window, a bed and a chair. And that was that. That was where I lived for the next decade. He told me what I was expected to do, which was a lot of heavy work for a small child. And from the very beginning, he told me that he would not tolerate any questions from me. I was to go to school, but only for the lessons. And then I was to return to the farm without idling."

"I was so scared by this rude, strange man that I think I never once opened my mouth. I didn't take much time before I found out that they both were heavy drinkers and wouldn't often be able to care for the animals or the garden. Thus we hardly had any food or money. The farm was high up in the mountains, it was cold up there for most of the year so I couldn't really grow many vegetables or berries. And I didn't have any money to spend on food when I was at school. It took me almost an hour to get to the schoolhouse every morning in every weather, and even longer to get back up on the mountain."

"One day, when I was nine years old, I met one of the sisters that had cared for me at the orphanage on my way from school. She looked at my haggard appearance and asked me when I had last eaten a warm meal. I couldn't remember. And I told her that. From that day on, I went to the Abbey for lunch every day and they would give me some food to take home with me, making sure I got my nutrients and vitamins. 'You are growing up, and you walk so much every day', the Reverend Mother said to me, fully supporting the nun's decision to feed me at the Abbey. I told my uncle that we had extra time when we would do our homework, and he seemed to believe me."

"You see, the nuns couldn't do anything about my situation. They had no right to take me away from a relative. But for me, the hour I spent at the Abbey every day was the only time I was at least a little relaxed. When I got a little older, a nun took me aside and told me to lock my door when I was in my room at night. I didn't understand what she meant for the longest time, but did it anyway."

"So I got up at around 4:30 every morning to milk the cows and tend to the chickens, prepare some eggs and do other chores. At around 6 a.m. I had to leave for school. Nobody ever cared whether I actually went or not, whether I was up on time. But I always remembered what my parents had told me, to be good at school and learn everything I could. And I had a teacher at school who knew about my situation. I think she was related to one of the nuns at the orphanage. She would mentor me whenever she could, and she would talk to me about opportunities I had with the grades that I had."

"The only problem was: before I turned 18, I had to have signatures from my legal guardian for everything I did outside of school. I knew I would never get that, for anything. But this teacher was sneaky – and she was well connected." Maria had to grin, remembering the no-nonsense woman who wasn't liked too much by her classmates, but who was a blessing for her. "I decided I wanted to become a teacher. Learning had always been easy for me, and I had a passion for it. And I knew that I was good at explaining things to the other students, I even earned a little bit of money tutoring the younger kids when I was in the higher grades. So this teacher, Frau Meier, contacted a woman who went to university with her and was now the dean of the education department at the University of Vienna."

"Those two agreed that I should do as much of the work as I could without actually attending the lectures in Vienna. But since Frau Meier had studied the exact same thing, she could teach me. Other than that, I had a lot of reading to do. And I would write all the exams and papers under her watchful eye – but we would only send everything to Vienna once I turned 18 and could sign my own things."

Georg's eyes got bigger and bigger as he listened to Maria. He couldn't even imagine what that life was like, as he had been born into the lap of luxury and always had parents that nurtured his curiosity and could afford the best schools for their children. "So, what happened?" he asked. "I turned 18 on January 26. I seemingly graduated high school that summer, but had actually graduated a year earlier since the nuns had put me to school a year early. That last "school" year, I still went to school every day, but instead of doing the school work, they let me use an unused room to learn, do research and prepare for my exams for university. So in the summer after I came of age, Frau Meier and I filed all my paperwork and all the work I had done was sent to her colleague in Vienna. I graduated with the highest honors, my thesis being among the top three of the year. After that, I became a postulant at Nonnberg."

The decorated Captain was speechless. That was one tough girl who was sitting here besides him on the tiny island in his lake. "Why have I never known that?" he inquired. "You never asked", she simply said. And that was true, he had to admit. He thought nuns only had a religious education. He never thought about the training or education they had before they committed their lives to God. And he never thought the Reverend Mother would send a postulant to his villa, but a nun with a no-nonsense attitude.

"You must have been really proud to have achieved all that at such a young age", he said. "I was", she said, tearing up again. With a broken voice, she added: "But I would have been so much prouder if I could have shared my joy and pride with my parents. They never knew what their only daughter has achieved, against all odds." That was that for Georg – he finally gave her hand a tug and pulled her into his arms, trying to give her all the warmth and comfort she had never felt since she was a little girl. He let her cry into his shirt, for all that she had lost. For a childhood that was non-existent.

After a while he said into the night air: "I want to ask you something, but you don't have to answer if you'd rather not, ok?" He felt her nod against his chest. "How was life at the farm? How did your uncle treat you?" She shuddered and stiffened in his arms, but he kept holding her and stroking her back.

"It was horrible", she finally whispered, her voice not strong enough to elaborate. Being in his arms calmed her down gradually. She took a few deep breaths and started on her other story, the one she has never spoken of and would rather forget. "I had to work from the moment I came to live on the farm. The older I became, the more work he gave me. Basically, I had to keep everything alive, to prepare the meals, to clean the house." Georg felt rage boiling within him, rage for a man who he didn't even know, but who had exploited a young child. "What did he do then? And that 'aunt' you were talking about?" he asked.

"He was drunk most of the time. Sometimes, he had an odd job in town, but very often he did not. He made his own booze somewhere in a small shack and he would drink all the time. He was cold and hostile to begin with, but when he was still conscious on his drinking binges, he became violent as well." Georg took a deep breath, along with the young woman he still held tightly in his arms. "Oh Maria. What did he do to you?" Maria leaned back and looked him straight in the eye: "He beat me every chance he got, with everything he could grab. But luckily my reflexes have always been very quick, while his became worse as the amount of alcohol he consumed got bigger. I was a shy and quiet child when I got there, but you can imagine that I didn't stay like that for too long. I might have been dead otherwise."

Again, Georg pulled her in his arms, but she had no tears left. She continued: "The Reverend Mother suspected that he was violent, but she could do nothing until I turned 18. So she and the nuns always kept an eye on me. The lunch they provided was also a means of seeing me every day and making sure that I was alright. They also provided some clothes for this constantly growing girl." Georg had to grin at that and think of the tall child with more clothes that other poor didn't want. She was poor herself, and she had the worst start into her young life.

And still, not only did she survive, but she had a degree and a ton of talents to go with it. He looked into Maria's eyes intensely: "He beat you. Nothing else?" Maria looked at him, understanding immediately what he was asking. "No. Nothing else. I actually listened to the nun who told me to lock my door every night." Georg nodded, too overwhelmed by her story to actually say anything.

"I think that also clarifies why I became a postulant after coming of age. The nuns had helped me so much, and I really had nowhere to go. I liked most of them, and a bunch of women seemed to be much more agreeable than a horrible drunk man. Also, my faith was what carried me through these awful years on that mountain, so I though I had all the requirements I needed to be a nun. I wanted to become a teacher in one of the schools that are led by the sisters." Georg looked at her and nodded: "Sounds like a good plan to me."

Maria chuckled at his comment. "Yes, well. I was the misfit from the very beginning. I was so happy to be out of my uncle's claws that I just couldn't stay inside these huge dark walls all the time. I was quite talkative, having never had anybody to talk to in my life. I sang, not only the chorals and madrigals required in church, but whatever came to my mind. The Reverend Mother was always so patient with me and I believe she knew that I was not made for this cloistered life. But she was like a real mother to me, so she would never throw me out of the Abbey. But she tried to make me see some of the world. So I think that's why she send me to be your governess for the summer."

xxx schnipp xxx

Alright, here we go again. TSOM does not belong to me. But I do appreciate comments, good or bad.


	4. Chapter 4

Georg was quiet for a long time. Maria looked at him, thinking he might have fallen asleep. But the Captain was anything but sleepy. He was wide-awake. He thought about that little girl that was all alone in the world, who had no means to defend herself against her violent uncle. A girl who didn't have a childhood after her parents died. How much loss and sorrow she had seen in her young life. And still, here she was. Maria. Young, lively, compassionate, loving. Lovely. She refused to let life get the better of her. She refused to give in – to anything. She stood up for what she believed in, he had experienced her strength first hand, the day they fought by the lake. Nobody would even guess how hard her life had been, her still very young life. But her story made it clear to him why she seemed so much older that her 24 years – not that she looked it.

He looked at her in the dim light of the night. And then he did something he hadn't done in quite some time. He pulled her in his arms yet again, holding her to him and giving her strength. Drawing strength from her. He wanted to be there for her, to show her that she was not alone in the world. That she had a family now, a family that loved her. He felt a great many things at the moment, some feelings he couldn't even define for himself. But it felt right to just sit there with her, in silence.

Finally, Maria broke away from the embrace. She looked at her employer, not sure what she saw in his face. "You are a brave woman", he said. Confused, she started shaking her head. He put his forefinger on her lips before she could contradict him. "You are a brave woman, and you were a brave girl for many years. I can't even imagine how hard your life must have been. And I think it's admirable that you became such a strong, independent, smart person." Maria felt new tears come to her eyes in light of his words. She smiled shakily at him while the tears ran down her cheeks. "Nobody has ever said anything like this about me", she said. "Well then, it's high time someone did", the Captain replied. "However", he added with a smirk that held no malice, just teasing, "I don't think you'll make a very good nun".

Maria had come to that conclusion as well, but she hadn't voiced her thoughts to anyone yet. "I think you are right", she said. "But that will make it much more difficult for me to find a job and support myself. Most teachers are men, and it won't be easy as a young, unmarried woman to convince them that I am a good teacher and a role model for the children."

Georg knew that Maria was right. He had friends in almost all positions, and he was sure there were some who could help her find a job. But he knew two things for sure: Maria was proud and didn't want his pity. And he didn't want to see Maria leave. He had grown fond of her, ever since their heated argument by the lake. But he had never given much thought to the fact that she was there only for the summer. It just felt so right with her and his children around, just like the family they just to be. Just like the time before he froze up his feelings and hid behind the mask of a cold aristocrat.

He felt he had to say something to make her understand just how much she meant to him. "Maria, I ask you to listen to what I'm about to say, ok?" She nodded, mutely. He took her hands in his and caressed them tenderly. Maria looked at their hands, surprised but also happy. However disturbing this evening was for her, this just felt perfect. "You have met the man I was when you came from the Abbey. I was cold, heartless, I hid behind my grief and didn't allow any thoughts at happier times. It was so hard for me to see my children every day, to see reminders of Agathe in each and every one of them, in their looks, in their manners and in their laughter. I thought that if I banned it all, it would be easier to forget. Her, us, our love. But the truth is, it made it harder. I didn't really allow myself to grieve. And I didn't allow my children to be my strength." His eyes were bright and he gripped Maria's hands just a little tighter.

"And yet you didn't send them to boarding school", she said, looking straight into his eyes. "I think that says a lot about you." He nodded, knowing that she was right. He couldn't bear to see them go. "I had to go to boarding school, that's what the Barons and Baronesses did when I was young. I hated it and I swore to myself that if I ever had children, I would never send them away." Maria smiled at this little glimpse of his past.

"I'd like to think that I have changed in the last couple of weeks", the Captain continued. "At least I have made the effort, and I am so happy that the children haven't rejected me. But I know that that is all your doing. You have set me straight. You had the guts to stand up to me and make me face the truth. You have brought music back to the house. And laughter. And love. The things that were so important to Agathe and me and our family. I had forgotten how good it feels to just hug my daughter or have a pillow fight with my sons." Maria raised her eyebrow – the Captain? A pillow fight? Georg hiccupped, he was smiling while tears were running down his cheeks.

Now it was Maria's turn to offer comfort to her employer. To her friend. She tentatively brushed his tears away with her fingers and pulled him towards herself. He rested his forehead on her shoulder while he let go of all the grief of the past several years.

"Thank you, Maria", he said. Nothing more, and nothing less. Yet somehow, it was so profound that Maria could only nod. "I want you to know that I will never let anything happen to you. If it was up to me, I'd want you to remain as a governess to my children when the summer break is over. If that's what you want. Or I can contact some of my friends about a job in a school where they will appreciate the teacher you are. You are part of our family now, and I want you to be happy. You will never again be all alone in the world."

"Thank you, Captain", Maria said. She believed him. And she knew that he would never say anything like this without meaning it. "I would like to stay on very much, but I have a feeling that Baroness Schraeder wouldn't like that very much", she said. Georg nodded. "I believe you are right in that assumption", he said. "But I plan to send her back to Vienna. I don't think we have a future together." Maria was speechless. "But – didn't you want to marry her?"

He smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. "I had though about an arrangement. I could never love her, and thus she wouldn't destroy my memories of Agathe. You have to understand: That was my thinking at a time when I was still the stern Captain." Maria was surprised by his words. "But I have come to realize that I don't want an arrangement. Either I marry again because I fall madly in love with a wonderful woman who loves my children and understands who I am. Or I remain single."

Maria nodded, took a deep breath and shuddered. The wind had picked up, and it was getting rather cool in the wee hours of the morning on this little island in the lake. She was only wearing her new dress that was fairly lightweight, after all. Georg saw this and, being only in his shirt, helped her up from the sandy ground. He took his jacket and shook all the sand from it, draping it around her shoulders. "Will this help?" he asked. "Thank you", she said, nodding. Again, Maria thought what an attentive and sensitive man Georg really was. Georg. The Captain. Her employer. She took his left hand in hers, the hand with the fidgeting fingers. "Not that my opinion matters, but I think that is a very good plan", she said.

Georg knew that her opinion mattered very much to him, but he realized that he had some serious thinking to do before taking action. He smiled tenderly at Maria and kissed her hand, gallantly but also with a lot of feeling. "I believe now is a good time to row back to the villa, don't you think?" Maria was totally mesmerized by the kiss that sent some entirely different shivers up her spine. "Yes", she answered, albeit somewhat breathlessly.

He took her hand and let her the few steps back to the boat. Making sure that she was safely in the vessel, he jumped in and started rowing back toward the villa. Both were silently contemplating how wonderful their evening was, even though it had started out so sad. When they returned to the stone landing, Maria waited for the Captain to moor the old boat. Before she could even get up by herself he had reached out to her and took her hand to help her out. When he started to walk towards the impressive mansion, Maria lightly pulled on his hand that was still holding hers, making her feel save and warm.

"Thank you, Captain", she said. "I have never spoken to anyone about my past, all of my past." She knew that she didn't have to ask him to keep her confidence. He was an honorable man, after all. And who would he talk to about her, anyway? Georg nodded, slowly pulling her back into his arms and embracing her – much to her surprise.

"I meant what I said. I admire the person that that neglected girl has become, and I am glad that you are part of our family now. I am very glad that the Reverend Mother has sent you to me, to us", he said. Before Maria became too overwhelmed, an involuntary yawn escaped her. She had to laugh, and so did the Captain.

"Sorry", she said sheepishly. "It was a very long day, and an exhausting one."

"You have nothing to be sorry for", he replied. "In fact, why don't you sleep in tomorrow morning, the children and I will serve your breakfast on the terrace at 10 o'clock sharp."

He was full of surprises tonight, Maria thought to herself – and found that she liked this Captain very much. She mock saluted him. "Yes, sir. I will be there. Right on time" They both laughed at that, and he offered her his arm to escort her up the stairs to her room.

-schnipp-

Thank you everyone for the reviews - keep them coming ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Life in the von Trapp household was good this summer. The children had the time of their lives with their governess, laughing, playing, learning and enjoying their vacation time. Their father had come to terms with the past and with the passing of his beloved Agathe. It had taken a young woman with a horrible past and some introspection, and he had gradually returned. Georg von Trapp: devoted father, gifted musician, funny storyteller. The Papa the older children could remember, but the younger ones never had the chance to get to know.

He spent a lot of time outdoors with them, in the gardens, in and on the lake, occasionally in the stables, on top of the Untersberg and some of the surrounding mountains. And he had ended a chapter of his life that didn't seem to fit any longer. Elsa von Schraeder had returned to Vienna, none too pleased with the situation, but having seen and felt the change in the man she thought she knew. The national hero she had intended to marry.

But in a rare moment of honesty, she came to the conclusion that it was for the best. She never wanted to be a mother, not to one child and most certainly not to seven. And the man she had encountered in Salzburg was obviously a package deal. A family man who loved his children dearly and was content to spend huge amounts of time with them. A man who couldn't care less about the latest gossip from their aristocratic circles. A man who much rather got dirty playing with his boys than being pressed and dressed in a tuxedo. He had even started to forego the tie and jacket for dinner in the oppressive summer heat that hat invaded the villa. And still he was a sight to behold, even in this more casual look of dress pants and a more traditional Austrian Trachtenshirt, always with patterns in blue hues that brought out the color of his beautiful eyes so strikingly.

However nice Georg von Trapp was to look at, the Baroness had a hard time believing that they would be at all compatible on a daily basis. And to make matters worse, boarding school seemed to be a taboo topic with Georg. She had tried to talk to him several times, but he refused to even hear her out. He told her in no uncertain terms that the children would all remain at home until they wished to apply to a school in another part of the country or even abroad.

She also had an inkling that there was more to that "little governess". She had seen the way he would look at the pretty postulant, when he thought everyone was occupied with other things. There was a look of admiration in his eyes, a tenderness that she had never seen before. Although she wished that the Captain would look at her that way, she was wary of the same thing. Georg von Trapp was an intense, passionate man. She knew that much. Elsa von Schraeder, on the other hand, was more cautious with her feelings. She hid behind an icy exterior, and even her late husband was only given few opportunities to see the woman behind the mask.

Maria, with her heart on her tongue, her exuberance and energy, was much more like Georg than herself – even though their backgrounds couldn't be more different. However, Elsa suspected that there was more to the governess, more to the story why the young woman wanted to be a nun even if there were few people that Elsa could think of that were less suitable for that vocation.

So she had come to the decision that it would be best to let Georg find another love, a real love – and for her to figure out how to continue with her life in these uncertain times.

Georg had come to the same conclusion after much reflection and thinking about the situation. He had spent many nights in his study or in the old rowboat, pulling the heavy oars and gliding across the water. More often than not, he would find himself on the little island where he had gone with Maria that night when Gretl's innocent questions had brought back so many bad memories for the young woman that she had never shared with anyone.

He would sit under the stars and remember the blissful times with Agathe. The births of their children. The joys of being a big, happy family. The love they shared as a couple. He never thought that he would ever love again, that there might be a woman out there that would stir the same feelings and passions that his late wife had. But alas, the Reverend Mother of Nonnberg Abbey had sent one Maria Rainer to his doorstep, dressed in a potato sack, but bewitching nonetheless. The more he learned about this young woman, the more his appreciation grew.

She was an extraordinary person. Not just because she had the guts to stand up to him. Because she loved his children unconditionally – she was so much more than a governess and teacher to them. Because she showed the children what was right and wrong – not by lecturing them, but by making them understand. Because she found a way of challenging the children in their studies but making the lessons fun. She would take the classroom outside into the fresh air and have the children apply their newfound knowledge.

On one of the excursions Georg took to the small island he looked up into the stars – the constellations that had shown him the way when he was a young cadet in the Austrian navy. And suddenly everything fell into place. He loved Maria. It was as simple as that. It was - as difficult as that.

Well, she didn't want to be a nun any longer. He knew that. So he had to court her, show her that he was a nice guy, after all – and that the love between a man and a woman could be exciting and exhilarating and tender and playful. But before he could do that, he had to end things with Elsa. Not that they were ever more than friends, it just never felt right. But he knew that Elsa, well, half of Austria's aristocratic circles really, was expecting a proposal in the near future.

Elsa was a family friend, someone Georg had known for a very long time. She was the only one who could reach the Captain after his wife's death. The only one he would talk to after Agathe had passed. But that wasn't the Georg von Trapp that Salzburg knew, the loving father and devoted husband. The funny friend and mischievous employer who would sometimes play little jokes on Frau Schmidt or the chef.

He decided that he would take Elsa to a place that he despised, but he knew the Baroness from Vienna would love. He took an afternoon off from his family and took her to Wolfgangsee, one of the most beautiful places in Salzkammergut, where the high society spend their summer days doing what they did. They had coffee and cake, sitting in the shade on the terrace of a beautiful café. And while Elsa seemed to be in her element, Georg felt his feet twitch. He wanted to feel the grass under his feet, to jump into the refreshing clear lake water and swim as far as his arms and legs would take him.

But he couldn't. He had to sit on a wooden porch, dressed in suit and tie, and listen to Elsa's rambling about Baron this and Baroness that. After there was a lull in the rather one-sided conversation, Georg took his chance. He took Elsa's left hand into his right and looked at her. "Elsa, are you happy here in Salzburg?" he asked. A simple question that had no simple answer.

She took her time answering. Elsa knew what he was really asking, and she knew that this was the conversation that she had prepared herself for, but was dreading at the same time.

"Georg, let's be honest, shall we?"

"Yes, please", he answered. "It's no use, you and I. When two people talk of marriage…" But she interrupted his lame attempt at an apology.

"I like it her very much. I think Salzburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Austria, and the countryside is gorgeous. But it is not Vienna. And I belong to Vienna. With all my acquaintances, all the glittering salons, even all the gossip. That is my world, and I have come to realize that it is not yours."

Georg was surprised, to say the least. "You are right. And I apologize for pretending to be someone I really am not during the time we saw each other in Vienna. The man you see here is the retired sea captain, the real Georg. I had lost myself after Agathe's death, as you very well know."

"Yes, Georg. I know. And I am very fond of you. Also of the man who rolls around in the dirt and competes with his sons. And the one who has a tea party with his girls. It is just not a world that I know or am comfortable with. I never had any children, couldn't have them. So I never developed relationships with children and don't really know how to behave." Georg stroked Elsa's knuckles tenderly. She wasn't a bad person, they just weren't right for each other.

"Elsa, I'm sorry I can't give you what you are looking for. I am fond of you, too. But first and foremost, I'm the father of my incorrigible brood and I want to be the guide and guardian that they deserve."

Elsa smiled at him and looked directly into his blue eyes, his best feature, she thought. "And maybe the good Lord will see fit that you father some more children", she said. Georg almost choked on the coffee that he just drank and looked at Elsa.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I don't think that your Fräulein Maria will ever be a nun, do you?" she said, grinning at his adorably confused face.

"No, I don't think so either. But Elsa, believe me when I tell you that nothing has ever happened between Maria and me", he stressed.

"Oh, I do believe that, Georg. After all, you are honorable. And honest. I am very sure about that. This is a very welcome change from most of the man in our circles and in Vienna, as you very well know."

"Elsa, I know all about the reputation that precedes me. And there is some truth about my being a wild sailor. But that all changed when I met Agathe. I was always faithful to her, I never even looked at other women. I thought you were a save deal, an arrangement, if you will. I would not, could not, love you, because I thought I could never love again. But then Maria came, totally unexpected and not at all what I thought when I inquired about a governess at the abbey. But then it turns out she was just what we all needed. I have no idea if she will accept me as more than a friend, but I know that she brought love back to my house and to me."

"I know, Georg. I can see it in the looks you give her. And I wish you all the best for the future, because you deserve to be happy. And so does she."

Georg got up from his chair and went to Elsa. Against all rules of society, he gave her hand a little tug and hugged her to his chest. "Thank you, Elsa", he whispered. Elsa returned the sentiment and was glad about her decision.

"Now, will you take me to the train station? I have packed my little bags and am all ready to leave for Vienna."

Another surprise for Georg von Trapp. "This fast?" he asked.

"Yes", Elsa said. "I don't want to be in the way any longer."

"Elsa, I hope you will find someone in the future, someone who will be your perfect mate. You are a beautiful, caring woman, even though you hardly ever let anyone see this side of you."

"Don't make me tear up, Captain", she said, thinking that this chat had been much more agreeable and friendly than she had originally feared.

So Georg had taken them both back to the Villa where they picked up Elsa's luggage. Maria and the children were up on one of the hills, so she had no chance to say good-bye to either of them – even though she would have liked to. The Captain drove her to Salzburg's main station. He waited with her until her train to Vienna was called and they shared another friendly hug. "Don't be a stranger, Georg", Elsa said. "And I mean it. You know my house is big enough for all of you".

"Thank you, Elsa. For everything", Georg said and kissed her cheek.

And that was that. Before going back to the villa, he opened up the convertible – something Elsa didn't care for very much as he had learned in the last couple of weeks. As the wind blew through his locks, he whistled a happy tune on his way back home, hoping that Maria and the children were already back from their excursion.

-SCHNIPP-

So, it seems this story hasn't come to an end after all ;) Thank you for your reviews and opinions. I have another chapter in the works that has a lot more M+G in it... but I felt the Captain had to do the honorable thing first!

Please, let me know what you think. Please?


	6. Chapter 6

When Georg returned from the station, however, it was quiet in the house and in the garden. Too quiet, he thought. What a difference a few weeks made! There was nothing more annoying in the last couple of years than hearing his children being exactly that – children. They reminded him so much of what was never again going to be. He, his wife, their children – a happy family. How wrong he was.

Maria was everything he could ever hope for – but never thought he'd have again. She was so warm and compassionate. She had no reservations about standing up to him – something that Agathe had mastered and that he desperately needed. And she was very unpretentious. He knew how long it took Elsa to get ready for anything. He doubted that Maria had a vain bone in her body. He hoped that he could find out much more about her, his Maria, in the very near future.

While he was sitting in his car, thinking about his children and his governess, he had an idea. It wasn't too late in the afternoon, really. And he knew what a hard time Maria had getting the children down from the mountain – if they were on the Untersberg. So he took a chance, started the car and took off toward the station where the little steam train arrived. He was looking forward to meeting his children, and he couldn't wait to lay eyes on Maria.

As luck would have it, just as he was slowing the car down, the train arrived with a loud whistle – and out came his laughing family. Friedrich and Kurt carried two large baskets, Louisa helped Marta down the steep steps of the old train and caught Gretl when she jumped from the train at her sisters signal. Maria and Liesl were the last to emerge, laughing at something they had obviously just talked about.

Georg just stayed behind the wheel and took the scene in. Yes, he was a happy man again. And he hoped to be even happier. Soon.

Maria saw him first. She looked at him like she couldn't believe what she was seeing – and then she smiled. At him. Her whole face lit up when she looked at him. He smiled and winked at her, gesturing to her not to say anything and jumped out of the car toward his brood.

Brigitta looked up in time to see her father meeting them at the platform. She grinned and ran into his open arms, her brothers and sisters following soon after. "What are you doing here, father?" Kurt asked. "How did you know where to find us?"

"I was lonely at home after I've ran all my errands", he said, grinning at his children. "And I thought that you might have gone to the Untersberg in this beautiful weather. Now, what do you all think about some ice cream?" He couldn't have made a better offer, and while his children cheered around him, Maria smiled at him tenderly. "Good idea, Captain", she said. He felt something like to proverbial butterflies.

"Fräulein Maria has to get the biggest serving, father. I don't want her to cry again while we are having ice cream", Gretl interrupted their moment. Maria swallowed and hugged the youngest girl to her. "Gretl, you know it wasn't because of the ice cream or because of you that I have started to cry that day. I was simply sad." Maria had talked to the little girl the day after her excursion with the Captain and had explained to her that it was not the girl's fault that she had started to cry.

"Let's go now, before the ice cream parlor closes for the day", she said and shooed the children out of the station. They were close enough to Salzburg's beautiful Altstadt that they could just walk there, the children pairing off in a competition to get there first. The two smallest girls went with Liesl and the others let them stay in front, even though they could have been a lot faster if they had wanted to. But they knew how much especially Marta loved her strawberry ice cream!

Georg and Maria followed at a more sedate pace. They were both exhausted – Maria because of all the running and walking and singing and playing they had done on the mountain. Georg because he couldn't sleep last night and had anticipated today's talk with Baroness Schräder. When they crossed a street and had to get back up on the sidewalk, Maria's foot caught on one of the uneven cobblestones and she lost her balance when she felt strong arms catching her fall. Before she knew what was happening, the Captain had his arm around her waist and steadied her.

Maria apologized to her employer and was embarrassed by her own clumsiness. "Thank you for stopping my fall", she said quietly, not looking at Georg. "You are very welcome, Maria", he said and smiled at her. A genuine smile. How she loved that he didn't make fun of her. He offered her his arm and she link her right arm with his left. How nice that felt to both of them, nice and right even in the oppressive heat of the summer's day.

They reached the colorful ice cream parlor in no time and Maria and the Captain had to part in front of the door. Georg gestured for her to enter before him, gallantly holding the door for her. Maria smiled shyly and accepted the gesture. The children quickly scanned the little signs in the display to see what the owner had made that day. "Two scoops each", their father told them – and they started telling the owner's wife behind the counter what flavors they wanted. Youngest to oldest, without any fight or bickering at all. Georg was more than impressed.

After the children all held their ice cream cones in their hands, they decided to go outside and sit under a large oak tree on the other side of the road. Maria made to follow them, but her employer caught her hand. He had seen her intense look at the variety of flavors, and he wouldn't let her leave the little café without the treat that her heart desired.

"Where are you off to, Fräulein?" He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"My charges, Captain", she replied, just a little sassily.

"But you have no ice cream yet, and Gretl insisted that you get the biggest serving", he reminded her. "And you know how she is." How great it felt to just banter with someone, with her.

"Alright", Maria said, turning to the server quickly. "I'll have chocolate, straciatella and cherry, please". She looked back at the Captain. "That's 50 percent more than any of the children. Are you happy?"

"Very", Georg drawled, trying not to laugh at her. He then ordered his treat, "Lemon, strawberry, banana and blueberry, if you please." Before receiving his cup, he went to pay for their afternoon delight.

Maria looked at him curiously when he picked up his cup. "Now, that's four scoops if I've counted correctly, Captain. How will that agree with Gretl?"

"Well, I'm a grown man and there are many, many vitamins in here", he said, further teasing her. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Ah, that's how you call it", she replied. Both hat to grin at their banter when they exited the little shop and went across the street to join the children.

They sat on the grass beside the children, each enjoying their sweet treat. Gretl went over to Maria and leaned into her side. "Careful, Gretl", Maria reminded her. The girl nodded – both didn't want any stains on their dresses. Gretl compared her cone to that of Maria. "You've really got more ice cream than we do", she said and grinned. After turning her head and looking at her father, she looked disappointed. "But father, you have even more."

"It's just vitamins, baby", he said. "Look, it's all fruit flavors." His daughter looked at the Captain skeptically, but accepted his answer, busily licking at her own ice cream in the heat. The other children laughed quietly at their father's explanation. "So you have you sweet tooth back as well, father?" Liesl said from his right side, smiling at him but with an unsure look in her eyes. Sometimes the children still had a hard time believing that heir playful, loving father was back. But here he was, looking at his oldest tenderly. "Yes, finally."

After the family returned to the villa, everything went its normal way. They had dinner, they sang some songs, the children went to bed at a reasonable hour. Maria went to her room after saying good night to the Captain who had accompanied her to her door. "Thank you for the afternoon", she said, smiling at him.

"I didn't do much", he replied.

"Yes, you did, Captain. You spend time with the children – and ice cream is always a good idea", she said. "How are you feeling after your vitamin boost, anyway?"

"Great, maybe a little restless", he said. "I'll go and sort some of my paperwork out – and then I will go to bed soon, I think." He smiled at her affectionately and bid her a good night, taking her right hand in his left and kissed it lovingly.

"Sleep well, Captain", Maria said softly.

Inside her bedroom, she sat down in the armchair in front of her window. He had kissed her hand. Again. She felt that something in their relationship had shifted ever since the night on the little island. And she liked it. Very much.

After being lost in her own thoughts for a long time, Maria got up and changed into her summer nightgown. She had made it for herself, from some cotton material she had left over from her other dresses. It was short, reaching only to her knees, sleeveless and wide. It was comfortable and Maria had taken to wear it whenever she was in her room. This summer was by far the hottest that the young woman could remember. The temperatures during the days would rise in the high 30s, and nighttime didn't bring much relief. Although all windows in the villa were open to allow some fresh air in, it was still stifling hot.

Tonight was no exception. Maria was exhausted, but she knew that sleep wouldn't come, because her mind was overactive. So she did what she had done occasionally in the last two weeks. She went into her bathroom, grabbed a towel and made her way into the basement of the villa. The heavy iron door that led from the cool cellar was never locked, and she had found an old bicycle there on one of the strolls she had taken in the cooler night air. The bike was rusty and had no light – but it was good enough for her nightly trips.

She fastened her towel on the carrier on top of the rear tire and pushed the pedals forward. Maria rode the bike for a couple of kilometers around the lake, until she was far enough away from the villa. The wind that she generated felt great in her hair and on her face, wearing nothing but her light nightgown and her panties. She had discovered a secluded spot at the lake a while back when she was out running with the children. It was sheltered and hidden by some beautiful old trees, and the grass reached all the way to the water. She leaned the bike against an old oak tree and took her towel to the shore.

There was a faint light coming from the stables that belonged to the estate, just enough that she could see. The moon, almost full, was hidden behind some clouds that had gathered in the night sky. She dipped her toes into the water in anticipation – and let out a heartfelt sigh at the cooler temperatures. Looking around like she always did, Maria made sure nobody was there. She knew it was ridiculous, because the entire lake belonged to the Captain's property and was behind high walls. But she always made sure that she was alone. Taking off her gown and underwear, she made quick work of jumping into the lake water, diving in graciously.

Although Maria had grown up on a mountain, she knew how to swim very well. She had learned the basic strokes at school and found that she liked to be in the water. However, a bathing suit wasn't standard issue in that little chamber that held the things that the poor didn't want, and so Maria never had one since entering the Abbey. The children, for some reason, had never asked to go into the lake with her – she had a suspicion about that one. So her only choice of enjoying a refreshing swim in this hot summer was to go far away from the villa and do some skinny-dipping.

Maria swam toward yet another tiny island in the lake that had a couple of trees. She enjoyed the rhythm that freestyle swimming had, and she loved the freedom and quiet that being out here all by herself brought her. When she reached the island, she found the root of a tree that hung in the air – just right for her to hold onto without having to get out of the water. After a little while she started back leisurely, alternating between backstrokes and breaststrokes. When she could feel the mossy ground underneath her feet and started to climb out of the water, she made out some movement in her peripheral vision. She thought it might be an animal, but soon found that it was a man, walking briskly in the direction of the villa.

And not just any man. Georg von Trapp. In riding breeches, a loose linen shirt and boots. No tie, no jacket. Maria made a quick move backwards so the water submerged her naked body. The movement alerted the Captain, who came towards the shore to investigate. Maria felt trapped – but she had no other option than to face her employer. And really, she had done nothing wrong. She just and simply didn't own a bathing suit and still wanted to enjoy the lake.

When he came around the trees he saw the old bike, the little heap of material where her towel and nightgown lay on the grass. And his governess. Well, actually he didn't see much more than Maria's head as she tried to keep her body under the surface of the lake. He looked in her direction curiously and grinned at her. "What have we here?" he said, leaning against a tree trunk and looking at her.

Maria blushed under his intense gaze. "Well Captain, you see… it was so hot in my room and I couldn't sleep. So I came here to go for a swim and cool down in the water."

"Why didn't you go to the landing closer to the house?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, I didn't want to wake the children with all the splashing", she said. Even though the night air was still warm, Maria had been in the lake for quite some time and she was getting cold. But getting out of the water was no option as long as the Captain was there. Georg chuckled and thought how considerate she was. Just like always when he encountered the young woman unexpectedly, he was happy to be in her presence and wanted to prolong the moment as long as possible.

"Are you cool enough now?" he asked. "Because if you are, we can walk back together", he added.

Maria blushed furiously at his innocent question and stumbled for an explanation why she couldn't come out of the water when he was standing there, watching her. At the end, she had no other option than the truth. "I would love to, Captain, because frankly, I am getting cold in here. But you'll have to turn around."

Georg grinned, thinking that she was just very modest and didn't want him to see her in a bathing costume. "Oh, I'm sure you have nothing to be shy about", he said. You are so beautiful in your dresses, I'm sure you're even more breathtaking in a tight bathing costume, he added in his mind.

Maria looked at him intently, willing him to understand. But he didn't. So she went with all the frankness she could muster. "Captain, I don't own a bathing suit, so I'm in here… well, you know. Without one." Georg had made his way toward the shore, intending to hold up the towel for Maria and maybe rub her shoulders dry when she came out of the water. But while he was bending down to retrieve the towel, the words registered. He looked at her, grinning from ear to ear.

But she was getting colder by the minute and losing her patience with him. "Captain, if you could please step behind one of the trees and allow me to leave the water. I would appreciate it." Georg took the towel and left it as close to the shore as possible, quickly walking behind a thick tree trunk. He was a gentleman, after all.

But he was also curious, and he wanted to see more of Maria. As luck would have it, he could peek between two branches at the side of the sturdy tree. And what he saw tock his breath away. And awoke parts of him that had been rather neglected in the last couple of years.

She was breathtaking. Long legs, lean, with curves in all the right places. Her breasts looked like they would fit into his hands perfectly. But before she could catch him, he actually turned around and gave her the privacy she asked for.

"May I come out of my hiding now?" he asked in a loud voice after a while. She had wrapped the large towel around herself, trying to get dry and warm at the same time. Georg turned and saw her shiver slightly. He stepped forward and went to her. Maria kept her eyes on the ground, feeling embarrassed that he had caught her in less than proper attire.

"Maria, you are cold. And I have no spare clothes to offer you this time", he said, in a neutral voice. Both were remembering their first boat ride to the island, when Maria was so upset by Gretl's innocent questions. The night he had fallen in love with her, really. He led her to some big rocks by the shore. He put his hand on the smooth surface of one of the stones.

"Here", he said, "sit down. They are still warm from the sunshine today." She did as he said and felt much better. He sat beside her, but kept his distance. Still, his hands itched to help her get warmer. He looked at her and asked "May I?" Maria didn't know what he was offering, but she knew one thing: She could trust him. She was certain that he wouldn't take advantage of her, clothed or unclothed. So she whispered "yes", curious what he wanted to do.

First, Georg set his right hand on the towel on her back. He started rubbing in firm circles on top of the towel. Maria immediately felt warmer, by his proximity and by his actions. He then sat behind her and started rubbing her bare arms, to make the skin warmer than it currently was. She leaned back into him unconsciously, the feeling of his strong hands on her cold skin was amazingly comfortable. Never before had Maria been so close to anyone in such a state of undress, but it felt… right.

When his hands reached hers, she gripped them in her own and held them tightly. "Thank you, Captain", she said, in a voice that was much breathier than normal. "Georg. My name is Georg, Maria", he whispered in her ear. She turned her head and looked at him, surprised. While they were certainly more than employer and employee, it had never occurred to her that he might want to get closer to her.

"Georg", she said, trying out the name. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her closer to him. He felt her still cool skin under his hands as he stroked and caressed her arms back up to her shoulders. Slowly, he brought his lips to the side of her neck and placed a tender kiss on the pulse that he saw racing there.

Maria moaned softly. She hadn't seen that one coming. Certainly not when she escaped the oppressive heat of her bedroom tonight. But it felt so good to sit here with Georg, just the two of them in the quietness that came in the middle of the night.

She turned her head around and saw the most amazing sight. Georg looked at her with such a tender look in his eyes that it literally took her breath away. He caressed her cheek slowly as their mouths came closer together. When finally their lips met, the feeling was unlike anything Maria had ever experienced. Tears sprang to her eyes at the tenderness of the moment.

Even though it was a chaste kiss, it couldn't have been more heartfelt. Maria rested her forehead on Georg's shoulder and he tightened his embrace. "My Maria, I love you so much", he whispered into her ear.

Now the floodgates opened. Maria was totally overwhelmed by the development of the evening and the last few weeks, really. She cried like she had cried on the little island in the lake that they had rowed to some weeks back. But this time, she wasn't sad. She was happy. Everything was right in her world, finally. Georg did nothing but hold her, caressing her tenderly.

She hiccupped and looked at him with watery eyes, but a smile on her face. "You know that these are happy tears, don't you?" she asked. He smiled and nodded. "I feel like I have finally found a home, and happiness. A place where I am not the odd girl out, but where I belong." She took a deep breath: "But I never thought you could have the same feelings that I have." Georg looked at her, confusion showing on his face. "Why?" he asked.

"You were so much in love with Agathe, and I'm just a simple, unrefined girl from a shack in the mountains with no family and no future…", she started. But Georg stopped her, with another tender kiss. "Maria, you are anything but simple. You have survived a horrible childhood and yet you have become a beautiful woman, inside and out. You had no fear to stand up to me and let me know what you thought of my behavior toward my children. After that, you encouraged and supported me in getting to know them again as the individuals they are. You never judged me, you just made all of our lives so much better. And somewhere along the way, between the conversations and discussions that we had, the time you spend with the children and me, I found that I can't imagine my life without you. I love you, and I never want to lose you."

Maria was speechless. And her towel had become dangerously loose through all the hugging. She tried to fasten it around herself once more, but Georg was in a playful mood after admitting his feelings. "You know what, Maria?" She looked at him and saw the dangerous gleam in his eyes – a look that he would get before he would tackle one of his sons to the ground in a game or would try and steal some sweets from the girls on their picnics. "I feel like a swim in the lake now. Will you join me?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he stood, pulled his light shirt over his head and started to tug at his riding boots. Maria didn't know where to look. She had never seen a man without a shirt on, and somewhere in her mind she knew that this situation was somewhat inappropriate. But this was the Captain von Trapp she had gotten to know over the last few weeks, too. Somewhat impulsive, a bit reckless – and totally uncaring about the opinion of society. If he wanted to do something, he did it. Even if it went against all rules.

Boots and socks off, he pushed his riding pants down his legs and ran for the water. Maria could see that he left his tight briefs on, but that was all that would be between them. Feeling warm and giddy, she jumped up, let the towel fall onto the rocks and joined him in the water.

-schnipp-

Thank you for your reviews. It means a lot to me that you take the time to read this little story :)


	7. Chapter 7

When the sun tickled her face the next morning, Maria awoke with a start from a deep sleep. She tried to get her bearings, but it took a moment until she could determine where she was. She laid back on her pillow, closed her eyes once more and let the memories of last night flood her mind. And what a night it was, she thought. Opening her eyes again, she looked at her left hand. There it was: a simple, yet very elegant ring. An heirloom, Georg had told her, from his beloved grandfather who had been married to his grandmother for 52 years. A sparkling diamond, with several tiny sapphires around the big stone set in a classic gold ring. It wasn't a dream, this last night. It was a time that she would never forget in her life. Ever.

What a gentleman her Captain was, but what a gentle man, as well. And a passionate one, too. She had seen such a different man in the last couple of weeks compared to the one who greeted her so coolly in the foyer of his villa just a few short months back. He had become a very good friend to her in the night she broke down. He seemed to be able to understand her like nobody before. Truth to be told – nobody had ever bothered. And she had never let anyone come close enough to get to know all her secrets.

But with Georg it all seemed so natural. She felt safe and secure with him. He had never forced anything, on the contrary. Maria remembered so many different occasions when he had the authority to simply overrule her. But ever since their argument by the lake and the reconciliation with his children, he involved her in almost everything that had to do with their lives. Hence her feelings of belonging to a loving family.

He went out of his way to make her comfortable in his home, doing little things for her that he knew she appreciated. He took the time regularly to do things with the children, he even helped with the studies of the older ones while Maria set the foundations of writing, reading and calculating for the youngest two.

And they had fun together. As they had gotten to know each other better, the teasing had started. They could make each other laugh, but they could also laugh together about people and things that happened in the villa. Even though they seemed so different, with a large age gap between them, they had similar sets of values. Both had seen tragedy and loss, and had had to learn to live with it.

As Maria lay in her comfortable bed, musing about the master of the house, there was a light knock on her door. "Come in", she said, finding it odd that one of the children would actually knock on her door. She had told them to, dozens of times. But they always seemed to have something very urgent when they came to her and just flew into her room.

But it wasn't one of the children. It was their father. Her captain. "Georg! What are you doing here?", Maria asked, the surprise showing on her face.

Georg came in an closed the door silently behind him. "May I?", he asked, coming closer to her and gesturing to the side of the bed. Maria grinned at him.

"Please", she answered, her left hand reaching for his right. Georg took her hand in his, kissed her palm and the back of her hand tenderly.

"Good morning, my love", he said.

"Good morning", she answered, stroking his freshly shaven check with her right hand. Georg leaned in and gave her a tender kiss, pulling her to him and embracing her tightly.

They both sat together in contended silence, each drinking in the other. When they parted, they looked at each other. "My Maria, how did you sleep last night?" he asked. He had a hard time falling asleep after their adventure in the lake and the lovely time they'd spent afterwards. Even though his body was tired, his mind was overactive because so much had happened in such a short time.

"Come, sit with me", she said, moving over in her bed and leaning against the headboard. He did as she asked and took her hand in his, kissing it once again. "Honestly, I lay awake for a long time after I returned to my room", she said, recalling the passionate kisses they shared in his study and on the way up the stairs. "I was just too excited!" And with a little squeal she threw herself into his arms again, just holding very tightly onto him. "You have made me so happy, Georg", she said.

Just as he was about to respond, Maria's door flew open and Brigitta came running in. She stopped short in the doorway at the sight before her. Her father hugging her governess tightly – on her bed. And – what was that sparkle she saw on Fräulein Maria's finger?

Maria and Georg let out a small groan simultaneously at the interruption and parted slightly. "Good morning, Brigitta", Maria said brightly and beckoned the girl to her. Brigitta hesitated slightly, a thousand questions swirling around in her head. "Did you have a bad dream?", her governess asked.

"No", Brigitta said, walking toward the bed slowly. Her father lifted her up and sat her between the two adults.

"Would you like to talk to Maria alone?" he asked his middle daughter.

Brigitta shook her head and looked between the two adults, still slightly confused. "Are you going to get married?" she suddenly blurted out, reaching for Maria's left hand where she thought she saw something sparkling.

"Yes", Georg said, knowing that it was no use to try and deny anything to Brigitta – not that he really wanted to. "If that's alright with you children", he added, sincerely and in a very serious tone of voice.

Brigitta's face broke out into a wide smile when she saw the ring that Maria was wearing. "Yes!", she exclaimed, hugging Maria first and then her father. With tears in her eyes, she looked at the grown-ups and said: "I knew something has changed between the two of you in the last weeks. You became so much closer, you were joking with each other. You were just like other parents." As the words left her mouth, she looked at her father cautiously.

"Brigitta, I will never forget your mother. Never. She was my first love and she gave me seven wonderful children. But she won't come back to me. It took me a long time to understand and accept it. Maria has helped me tremendously in coming to terms with the situation and she was the one who gave me you children back. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with your wonderful Fräulein, and yes, I have proposed to her because I want to spend the rest of my life, of our lives, with her."

Both Maria and Brigitta had tears in their eyes after the Captain's passionate speech. His daughter jumped back into his arms while Maria took his hand and squeezed it. After giving Maria a quick hug, the girl jumped uncharacteristically out of the bed and ran out of the door, presumably to tell her brothers and sisters about the new development.

Maria and Georg looked at each other and leaned in for a kiss that became passionate quite quickly. However, it didn't last very long as they heard not one, but seven children running towards her bed.

Instead of jumping in her arms as has become their habit, they stopped in front of the bed, taking in the sight of their governess in their father's arms. "It's true. Thank God!", Liesl whispered. The others had looks of confusion on their faces or were simply just too tired to be out of bed. "What happened?" asked Kurt.

Maria and Georg looked at each other, grinning. "Well…", he said, while his brood found places to sit on the floor, on the windowsill and on the chair in the room, expecting a long-winded story from their father. "We went for a swim last night, we kissed and I asked her to marry me." Long story short. Liesl groaned. She had expected a romantic story with tons of details. So did Brigitta, who looked intently at her new parents. The boys and Louisa were fine with this short explanation. Martha and Gretl jumped on the bed, asking: "Does that mean you will be our new mother?"

While Maria nodded slightly, the Captain raised his voice over the children's voices. "I asked Maria to marry me, because I want to spend the rest of my life with the most wonderful woman I have met in the last years", he said. "But more than that, I want you all to agree. If any of you doesn't want me to remarry, I will not. That was Maria's condition in accepting my proposal."

The children all looked at each other. Their governess really was the most unselfish person in the world. "Are you sure you want to marry a whole family, Fräulein Maria?", Friedrich asked. Even though he was a boy in a tough age, he managed to surprise both Maria and his father with his empathy and sensitivity quite often. Maria looked at the children, taking all their young faces in. "Nothing would make me happier", she answered truthfully.

And with that, all seven of the young von Trapps jumped onto the bed, hugging and kissing whoever they reached first. Tears came to Maria's eyes at the exuberant reaction of her children. Her children – who would have thought? Georg was also overwhelmed and shared a tight hug with his oldest daughter, a young lady now in her own right. "I am so happy for you, Papa", she whispered in his ear and felt him shaking slightly. "So am I", he said in a small voice, overcome by his emotions.

Suddenly, there was yet another visitor at Maria's bedroom door that had never been closed since the children came in. Frau Schmidt. The old housekeeper took the scene before her in and had to smile, even though she had no idea what was going on in the room. Georg looked at her from his spot on Maria's bed, still with Liesl in his arms. "Yes, Frau Schmidt?"

"It's nine o'clock. Breakfast has been on the table for half an hour – I was just wondering where you all were", she said. Martha stepped off the bed and went to the housekeeper. These two have had a special bond ever since the string of governesses started appearing at the von Trapp's door. "Omili, can you imagine? Father and Fräulein Maria are getting married. She will be our new mother. They just told us", the shyest of the girls said, hugging Frau Schmidt around the middle. "We are all so happy."

The housekeeper hugged the seven-year-old in return, smiling widely. "Is that right?" she asked, looking from the Captain to the governess on the bed. Their wide grin was all the answer she needed. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed, walking over to the bed and hugging them in a somewhat awkward position. "I knew you were special, the moment you walked into the door", she said to Maria.

Georg clapped his hands then, silencing everyone. "You've heard Frau Schmidt, breakfast is long overdue. Go get washed up and dressed, we'll meet in the dining room in half an hour", he said, shooing them all out of the bedroom. Frau Schmidt was the last one to leave, shutting the bedroom door behind her and giving the couple some privacy.

Georg turned to Maria with a mischievous grin: "I love these children to pieces", he said, hugging her tightly to his side. "Thank you for giving them back to me", he added quietly. "Oh Georg, I didn't do anything", she replied, but he wouldn't let her continue. "Yes, you did. And I will be forever grateful that the Reverend Mother has sent you instead of some ancient, strict nun. But I am even more grateful that you agreed to spend the rest of your life with me and the kids. And perhaps even some more, if God sees fit?"

Maria blushed at the thought of what the process of baby making would entail and what she had felt last night in the lake. Still, she nodded. "I have never thought about bringing a child into the world. But I cannot imagine anyone else to father my children than you." The newly engaged couple leaned into each other and kissed. Tenderly, lovingly. Before the kiss became too passionate, Georg let go of Maria and started getting up from his comfy place on her bed. "I will let you get showered and dressed, and I'll meet you at breakfast, my love", he said, taking her hand again and kissing the inside of her wrist gently.

Maria sighed when he closed the door behind him. What a man she had gotten herself! A man who seemed hard to handle at times, but who was the most accessible, the most reasonable and the most lovable person in the world once he'd let somebody close to him. Maria thought back to last night…

 _After she had jumped into the lake with him, she swam vigorously for a little while to get warm in the cool lake water. But swimming was apparently not what Georg had in mind. He caught her by the ankle and pulled her into the circle of his arms. Maria was unsure how to react, they were both basically naked, after all._

 _But Georg didn't seem to have any concerns. "Maria", he pleaded when she hesitated. "You don't have to be afraid. I will not do anything inappropriate or take advantage of the situation."_

 _In her heart, she knew that. And she told him so. "Georg, I'm afraid of what I will do if you hold me so close without a stitch of clothing. I have never been in a situation quite like this."_

 _"_ _If it's too much, please tell me", he said, pulling her slowly into him. He hugged her to him, feeling Maria still hesitating slightly. She had never even seen a man without a shirt, and now she was embracing one. Naked. Again, she regretted that she had never gotten around to get herself a bathing suit. But then that wouldn't change much either. Maria felt no shame, no embarrassment – hugging Georg tightly just felt natural to her. In fact, she loved being so close to him, feeling the heat that came off his body in the cool lake water and the rough texture of his skin and hair._

 _"_ _May I kiss you again?" he asked, from somewhere close to her ear. She could only nod. But instead of aiming for her lips right away, he placed tender little kisses from her ear across her jawline to her chin. Then he looked at her intently. "I love you, my Maria", he said in such a loving voice that it brought tears to her eyes._

 _She leaned into him and kissed him on the mouth. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He just pulled her slim body even closer and returned her kisses._

 _Their kissing became more passionate as Georg ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for entrance. Maria held onto him tightly, parting her lips to return his kisses. They kissed and kissed, his left hand on her back, his right cradling her head. Maria became more used to the unfamiliar feeling and even ventured into his mouth, stroking his tongue with her own._

 _Suddenly he felt Maria shake in his arms. She was cold, and that was an involuntary reaction. It put a stop to their embrace. Georg said: "Come on, let's get you out of the water. You are freezing." Maria regretted this sudden turn of events, but she really was cold from being exposed to the water for quite some time._

 _Georg took her by the hand, grabbed the moist towel from where she'd left it by the shore and wrapped it around her – not without taking another quick peek of this beautiful woman in front of him. He rubbed her arms and her back quickly and efficiently, bringing her circulation back. Then he took her in his arms and embraced her tightly once again. "Are you warming up?", he asked, concern in his voice. "Yes", she said, closing her eyes and concentrating on getting warmer._

 _"_ _Let's put our clothes on and walk back to the house", Georg suggested. Maria nodded, put the towel around herself and grabbed her nightgown and panties. She quickly walked behind a tree to get the relatively dry yet quite revealing things on. "Well", she thought, "Georg has seen me without anything at all". She blushed at the thought, remembering the feeling of his almost naked body so close to hers. His arouse body. She may have been a postulant, but she wasn't stupid. But there was nothing wrong with it. She knew he wouldn't do anything to compromise her or against her will. And she enjoyed the feeling of his strong arms around her and his… masculinity._

 _Maria had never thought in this terms about anyone. Even though she was very attracted to the Captain and knew that he was a handsome man – what appealed to her even more than his good looks, was his behaviour toward her in the last couple of weeks. He wouldn't be half as attractive had he remained the cold fish that she had met in the foyer the first day she came into the von Trapp household._

 _"_ _Maria?" Georg had finished changing into his shirt and riding pants, and he was waiting for her a few yards away. "Are you ready?"_

 _Maria shook herself and came around the tree. She went for the old bicycle, picked it up from the grass and fastened her wet towel. "Yes", she said "let's go." She started pushing the bike, but Georg took it from her. "Allow me", he said gallantly. With his free hand, he took Maria's hand in his. And again, it felt so natural to her to walk hand in hand with the Captain, as if they'd been doing it for years. Maria felt happy and content, better that she could remember in a long time._

 _There was no need for words between them on their way back to the villa. Both relished in the feeling of being in love, and being with the other. When they reached the heavy door to the basement, Georg just put the bike against the wall and walked around the house with Maria._

 _He produced a key for the side door and opened it for her. After they'd gone through, he pulled her towards him by the had he was still holding. He kissed both her cheeks, her eyelids and forehead tenderly and looked at her. "Maria, will you meet me in my study after you have taken a hot shower? Please?" he asked. Maria looked into his deep blue eyes and nodded._

 _Both turned and went into their respective bedrooms to take a quick shower. Maria dried her hair and decided to wear a dress similar to the one she had worn when they'd danced the Laendler. After putting on her shoes, she made her way down the stairs towards the Captain's study._

 _Unbeknownst to her, it took the Georg a little longer to get ready. When he'd come into the master bedroom, he'd shed his damp clothes. When he had lathered up his hands in the shower, he looked at his right hand and took off his golden wedding band. There was a white line where the ring had sat for more than 20 years, and it was a big step for him to finally take it off. But he knew it was the right time to do it._

 _After drying off, he took the ring and brought it with him to his safe that was hidden behind a drawing on the wall. He put the ring there, in case one of his children wanted to have it in the future. He thought back to the evening he had spent with Maria on the small island in the lake, when she had told him about her childhood. He had also talked about his life with Agathe and shed some tears about his loss. That was when, by remembering his late wife, he had finally come to terms with her death and said his good-byes._

 _After ensuring that his first wedding ring was safely stored, he took out a small box made of dark red velvet. Opening the box, he looked at the ring that he knew so well – and took it with him into his closet. He dressed in casual pants and a fresh shirt, put on his shoes and went down to his study after pocketing the box._

 _He met Maria in front of the study door where she was waiting for him. "Fräulein, you're early", he said, smirking at her. Maria had to grin, he was so adorable._

 _"_ _Yes, Captain. Don't get used to it."_

 _He opened the door for her and let her pass before him. He showed her to the divan in front of the fireplace and started walking around his office lighting a few candles on top of the hearth._

 _Maria was mesmerized by the romantic feeling of this room and the warmth it held. This was Georg's sanctuary, and it showed the character of this complex man – all the way down to the candles. While he was striking one of the long matches, Maria suddenly saw that the ring on his right hand was missing – the ring that was always there, just like the signet ring on his left hand. When had he taken it off? And why?_

 _Georg stepped back from the fireplace and sat down beside Maria. He put his right arm around her and she snuggled up into his side. "Are you warmer now?" he asked, concerned. She had been out in the lake for quite a while, and he didn't want her to catch a cold._

 _"_ _Yes", she answered. And getting warmer by the minute, she thought, being so close to her Captain. Maria was a bit tired after an eventful day, but she felt so comfortable in his arms. Georg turned her face towards him, looking deeply into her eyes. She leaned into him and they kissed again, like they had in the lake. "Oh Georg, I love you so much", Maria breathed after they had come up for air._

 _Georg kissed her again, this time more passionately than before. When he felt Maria's fingers at the top button of his shirt, he suddenly woke up from the pleasurable haze that surrounded them. He took her hands gently in his own and ended the kiss. "Maria, I know you have seen me almost naked", he grinned at her. "But as difficult as it is, let's leave our clothes on for now."_

 _Maria blushed a deep shade of red. She hadn't even realized what she was doing. "I'm so sorry, Georg", she stammered. He looked at her and said, very seriously, "Don't be, my Maria."_

 _He then released her hands from his grasp and began to play with her fingers. He seemed nervous, Maria thought, quite surprised. "Maria", he started. Then he looked at her and took a deep breath. "Maria, you are the most extraordinary woman I have met in a very long time. The more I have learned about you in the last couple of months, the more I began to admire your strength and your beauty, inside and out."_

 _Another deep breath. Maria's gaze was locked to his, she didn't really know where he was going with his speech, but she was mesmerized by this tense Captain in front of her – who was still playing with her fingers instead of wiggling his own._

 _"_ _I know we haven't known each other for a very long time. And I know there will be difficult times ahead. But however I look at it – I cannot imagine my life without you it. I cannot imagine this family without you. So, Maria, my love, will you share your strength with this old sea captain and his brood? Will you marry me?"_

 _Maria was speechless. Even in her wildest dreams, she had never thought that Georg would ever propose to her. Her! The failed nun from Nonnberg Abbey. The girl with the horrible past and nothing to her name. The girl who didn't even own a bathing suit. She had to chuckle at her own train of thought – which in turn brought Georg out of his trance, waiting for her answer. Of course, he took her giggle in the wrong way._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, Maria. It was selfish…", but Georg didn't get to finish his apology as his lap was full of Maria all of a sudden. She ran her hands across his cheeks, into his hair and looked him straight in the eyes. "Georg, nothing would make me happier than becoming your wife. If the children agree." And with that, her lips were on his. They kissed ardently then, speaking of their love for each other. After a while Georg remembered the ring in his pocket. He slapped his forehead mentally, how stupid to forget the ring!_

 _He ended their kiss tenderly, pushing Maria off his lap to sit on the couch again. She watched him a little confused, still in a haze from their kisses. Georg took the little box out of his pocket and kneeled in front of her. He opened it and presented the elegant piece to her. When Maria saw the ring, tears came to her eyes. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Her Captain had thought about it for a while, she thought happily._

 _"_ _Oh Georg, it's beautiful", she breathed, kissing him again. He took it out of the box and took her left hand in his. Kissing her ring finger, he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. He explained to her that this ring was his most treasured heirloom from his own grandfather, and that when he proposed to Agathe he thought of it as just another piece of jewellery that he had inherited and wanted to buy her a new one. "But after she died, I often thought about the marriage of my grandparents and how lucky I was to have this ring as a reminder of their happy life together." He had the ring restored at his most trusted jewellery store in Salzburg and thought it was just perfect for his Maria._

 _"_ _That story makes the ring even more special", Maria agreed. She pulled him up to sit with her on the sofa and kissed her fiancé once more. When they came up for air, she looked at Georg and said "Thank you, my love"._

 _"_ _Whatever for?" he asked, somewhat puzzled._

 _"_ _I didn't even know that I had this dream, of marrying and having children. But you have just made it come true."_

 _"_ _Oh Maria, I am the one who is grateful, for what you have done to make us a family again."_

 _She smiled and went back into his arms, but when he snuggled in, a big yawn escaped her. "What a day it was", she said, smiling at him._

 _"_ _What a day, indeed", he said. In the afternoon he had parted ways with Baroness Schräder, and now he was engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world. "Let's get you to bed", he suggested._

 _"_ _I don't want to get up, it's so comfortable here in your arms", she pouted._

 _"_ _I don't want to let you go, but I believe it's after one o'clock and we have to get some sleep tonight", he said, kissing her temple lovingly._

 _Both got up slowly, and Maria looked at her newly bejewelled hand once more. "It fits you", Georg said. "Just like I imagined."_

 _Maria had to agree with him – the ring looked like it had been there for a long time and not just for about half an hour. And it felt right. Just like the entire relationship that she shared with Georg. "Yes", she agreed, meaning the ring as well as the lives that they were about to share._

 _Georg led her up the stairs to her room. Outside her door, they stepped into each other once more and kissed. And kissed. And couldn't stop kissing. Eventually, Georg took a small step back from their passionate embrace, kissed Maria's nose, her cheeks and her forehead. "Good night, my love, get some sleep", he said hoarsely. Maria gave him one last chaste kiss and hurried into her room, closing the door behind her. There was no other way she was going to part from him tonight._

 _She rushed through her evening routine quickly and went to bed with the new feeling of being surrounded by love. And even though her body was tired, her mind couldn't shut off. She lay awake for a while, thinking about everything and nothing. Mostly about her handsome fiancé with the deep blue eyes. Eventually, she fell asleep – and then she was woken up so lovingly…_

Coming out of her daydream, Maria realized that she had spent quite a few minutes in bed, remembering this unforgettable night. She rushed into her bathroom and took a quick shower, donning a light dress that would be perfect for another hot summer day. She made her way down to breakfast, kissed Georg on the way down to her seat - and stopped in her tracks. It seemed they had rearranged the seating while she was getting ready. Apparently, she was not sitting opposite the Captain any longer, but on his right.

She grinned at the children and her fiancé who grabbed her hand when she made her way back toward them and kissed it. Their breakfast was happy and took a while, as there was no rush this morning for any of them. After the children were excused from the table to enjoy the sunshine, Maria and Georg helped themselves to another cup of tea and coffee respectively out on the terrace. They had made plans to go up on the Hochthron that day, another mountain that was higher than the Untersberg, and might therefore have cooler temperatures.

They stood very close to each other on the stone railing, and when they were done with their beverages, Georg turned, took her in his arms and gave her a chaste peck on her lips. "I have a small errand to run before we can start. Will it be alright if I'm back an hour from now?"

Maria agreed, stating that the children and she herself all had to change and that they needed to get their picnic lunch together. "But no later, we don't want it to be too hot when we start", she stressed. Georg nodded and left in his convertible.

Maria went to the children and told them of the schedule for the day. Kurt, Brigitta and Martha volunteered to help with the picnic, Louisa went to get a bowl and pick the ripe cherries from the tree in the garden. Friedrich put their gear together, and Liesl and Gretl organized the drinks that they wanted to bring.

Accompanied by their soon-to-be-mother, the children started for the kitchen, discussing what they wanted to prepare today. They still had some cold Schnitzel in the refrigerator, cook had made fresh bread and Brezn. Choosing some vegetables and fruit, the washed, pitted and peeled everything so that it was easier to eat. When the baskets were ready with cold tea and everything they had prepared, they decided to wash up and get changed.

Maria wasn't sure whether Georg was back already or not. She knocked on the door to his study, but he wasn't there. She hadn't heard him come into the villa, so she went into her room to change into a dress that was more appropriate for hiking and playing with the children. When she opened the door to her room, however, she was again left speechless. There, on her desk, was a large bouquet of dark red roses. And a package, in colorful wrapping paper – and tied up with string.

How she loved this man who would become her husband! She went to the table and inhaled the smell of the two dozen roses. Then she took the rather small and somewhat oddly shaped package and opened it. She let out a laugh as she saw what this errand entailed that Georg had to run so urgently: she was now the proud owner of a bathing suit. A rather revealing bathing suit, in her opinion. When she looked at it, a small card fell to the floor. Maria picked it up and read her Captain's note: "Join me for a swim tonight? Same time, same place." Maria grinned from ear to ear. But there was a PS that made her blush. "I know you are much more beautiful without the suit, my love – but a man can only take so much…"

XXX

Hello again! It's been a while since I've updated... I hope you are still with me and this story, anyway. Leave a review, like it or follow - I'm happy about any reaction. And, no - I don't own anything or anyone.


	8. Chapter 8

Now, Maria had her own errand to run. She was the owner of a pretty bathing suit - she had tried it on right away and had to admit that her Captain had chosen well. The color was perfect and the cut wasn't as skimpy as she had first feared. He seemed to understand that she had to get used to some of the ideas that were just normal for many other women, wearing a garment that revealed a lot of skin, in this case.

Well, not only was Maria not "many women", but she was a postulant still - even though she had bid farewell to this idea a while ago. Since she had been in Georg's employ, she had made several dresses for herself, all of them with pretty material that he had given to her. Up until the pale pink dress that she had finished a few weeks before, her dresses, skirts and blouses had been made for playing and running around with the children. They had to be practical.

The pink dress, however, was a slightly different style for her. It was a little shorter than her usual dresses, the neckline was a little lower. It also had some more detail - which was more difficult to make, but resulted in a better fit. All in all, that dress was a pretty dress for a woman who did not want to hide behind sturdy clothes any longer.

Georg liked the dress, a lot. He had actually asked her to wear it to dinner that night. Maria blushed when he whispered in her ear how beautiful she looked in that particular shade of pale pink, and how he would love to kiss each and every freckle that was revealed when she wore that dress. Well, she decided, that dress would surely make it into her luggage for their honeymoon. The idea of being kissed by him for hours did appeal to her a lot – he had no idea how many freckles she hid under her garments!

But that didn't solve her problem for tonight. Her fiancé wanted to take her for a swim. Well, she couldn't wear one of her dresses over the bathing suit nor could she wear her nightgown. So she needed some sort of shift to wear. She remembered that she had bought some floating, lightweight material in an off-white color the last time she was at the craft store in town. Just because she liked it and had figured she could probably make another nightgown for herself.

Thinking back to last night, she remembered the shirt that Georg had worn with his riding breeches. Long, light, comfortable - it actually stuck to his wet skin when he'd put it back on after their swim in the lake. That was what she was going to make for herself!

She looked for one of the patterns that she had drawn up for making a blouse and found some paper to alter it in order to make it longer and wider. Just when she was about to cut the material, there was a knock at her door.

"Maria, are you ready to go?" she heard the Captain's voice on the other side of the door. The picnic! She had totally forgotten why she went to her room after she'd found the gifts. Apparently, the family was ready to go. And she was running behind, again.

She took a deep breath and went to her door. Opening it quickly, she took Georg's hand, pulled him inside her room and closed the door behind him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she looked deeply into his eyes and kissed him. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He leaned back against the door, pulling her into him by the waist and deepened their kiss even more. After the finally came up for air, he looked at and grinned.

"What was that for?" he asked.

Maria blushed but refused to look away.

"Thank you, Georg", she said, suddenly becoming aware that she stood before him in her shift. That was all she had put back on after having tried the bathing suit on. But in all honesty, she didn't care. He had seen her in less clothing last night. He still held her in his embrace and she liked the feeling of his strong arms around her.

"What for?" he asked, trying to look innocent.

Maria loved this mischievous side of him, the fun-loving man who looked so much younger than the stern Captain. He was wearing another loose-fitting shirt today and had left the top buttons open. Maria craved to feel his skin under hers just like she had last night by the lake. So, she looked at his neck intently, brought her hands up and quickly opened two more buttons. She kissed his shoulder and pushed her hands underneath the fabric, stroking the warm skin she found there.

"For something I never got in my life. Love. Roses. A bathing suit."

His look became even more intense than it had been before and he pulled her to him once more. But instead of the passionate kiss she had expected, he held her tightly and kissed her just as tenderly as he had the night before on the warm rocks by the lake.

"Maria, I am so lucky to have found you. I love you with all my heart, and I will show you every day for the rest of my life how much you mean to me."

With tears in her eyes she leaned into him and just enjoyed being there, with the man she loved. Who gave her strength. Who appreciated her.

All of a sudden, he broke their intimate connection, took her by the shoulders and said: "Now please, put a dress on and don't let our seven hooligans wait any longer in front of your door."

"What?!" Maria exclaimed, now blushing again and running to her closet to reach for the orange dress she had worn regularly when she went on excursions with the children. Georg's eyes lit up when he saw what dress she had chosen.

"Georg, why didn't you tell me you brought them with you?"

How was she going to explain to the children why she had pulled their father into her room so abruptly? After she had buttoned up the dress and put the apron what went with it around her waist, Georg took her hands in his.

"Breathe, Maria. They are waiting outside and they will be happy once we start our excursion. And don't forget your shoes!"

He gave her a quick peck on the nose and pulled her to the door. Once he had opened it, the children waited for him to say something - so he did.

"Let's go!" was all they needed to run to the front door and pile into the car that was parked there. Maria grinned at him, and they followed their brood in a more sedate pace.

* * *

It took a little longer to reach the mountain that they had decided to go to today, and the children were happily chatting in the backseat. Georg had taken Maria's left hand into his and put it on his thigh, stroking her fingers tenderly. Maria felt so loved and she was so very happy that Georg did not insist on hiding their affection behind closed doors. She liked being touched and she liked to be free to touch him whenever she felt like it.

As soon as they reached the parking lot, they started hiking up on the path that led them through dense mountains. The air was refreshing under the roof of the trees, and they all liked the leisurely exercise. The boys were carrying their picnic baskets, Louisa had a blanket under her arm and Martha walked between Maria and Georg, content to look around and see the pretty flowers along the way.

When they reached the top of the mountain, the children found a spot under a large tree and set up their picnic. They were all ready for some cool drinks and lunch, before they dozed a little in the shade. Georg sat against the trunk of the tree and watched his children in silence. How lucky he was, to have such beautiful and smart daughters and sons. How glad that Maria came into their lives and saved them all from his sadness and despair over Agathe's death. How happy to be part of a big, loving family. He hoped that he and Maria could add some children of their own to the mix in the future.

Maria. His Maria. His fiancé. He looked forward to his life with her by his side – even though he knew that that life that he knew was bound to chance drastically sooner than later. He resolved to speak with her, about the options that they had once the German threat became too great. He knew that she was very reasonable and would weigh the options just as carefully as he had. He had no desire to make the decisions about their future by himself. He wanted her to be his equal, his partner.

"Walk with me?"

Maria had come up to where he was sitting against the tree and held her left hand out to him. She had silently cleaned up the remainders of their lunch and put them in their baskets, ready to be eaten later or taken down back to the villa when the time came. Looking for Georg, she saw him sitting against the tree, contemplating and looking deep in thought. She wanted to talk to him, to be alone with him even for a few minutes. And she craved his kisses, as new as the experience was for her.

Georg got up from his sitting position, took her hand and kissed it tenderly. "Of course, I will, my love", he said and winked at her.

They started to walk into the woods on a gravel path, his right arm around her shoulder and her left around his waist. It felt so good to Maria to be in his embrace.

"Georg, I know this is very new for us – but I love being so close to you." She stopped while she spoke to him, looking deeply into his dark blue eyes that held nothing but tenderness for her. Her Captain enfolded her in his arms and brought her head to his chest, caressing her tenderly.

"This is what was the hardest after Agathe passed away", he admitted. "We've always had a very physical relationship, we would touch and caress the other. Discreetly, of course, but we didn't like the idea of behaving as if we are strangers in public. Even if it was frowned upon in society. Agathe's parents were appalled by this, especially her mother tried time and again to get her to behave more demurely, I suppose. But we never did. We always did what we felt was right. And since we were so much in love, we did not want to be apart."

Maria sighed against him. "That sounds like a fairy tale, too good to be true. But I believe you, because I see how you are behaving with me, and we've only just admitted our feelings. And for the record: I love it. I couldn't bare not to be able to touch you or be close to you, innocent as our contact may be. I have craved all my life to be close to someone, to be loved unconditionally by someone."

"You are, Maria. You are. I love you. I adore you. I want you, more than you can imagine. But more than that, I want to see you happy and content in your new life."

She smiled up at him and tilted her head up a little, so their lips could meet in a tender kiss that became passionate rather quickly. Georg eventually broke their kiss and looked at her intently.

"Maria, there's something I need to talk to you about. Something you should be aware of if you are going to get married to me, to us."

"Georg, you scare me", she answered, looking at him. "What is it?"

"Come, let's sit down for a little while", he said, leading her to a mossy clearing where he once again found a tree to lean against. He pulled his fiancé between his legs and enveloped her in his arms tenderly.

"Maria, you knew that you came into the house of a sea captain, even if you don't think I look like one." Maria grinned at him at this observation. "And you know that I was knighted and honored for some of the things that I did during the Great War." Maria nodded.

"You will be in danger if the Anschluss comes, right? What will the Germans most likely do?" she asked.

Georg was astonished that she had thought so far ahead – even though he knew that she read the papers every day and listened to some of the broadcasts on the radio, he didn't know she followed politics so closely.

"It's my home country, too, that's about to disappear", she said to him and he had to agree.

"I believe that they'll want me in their navy, in whatever capacity I may be useful for them", Georg said.

Maria felt the blood drain from her face. That was her worst fear.

"But I can't, Maria. I can't and I won't become one of them. I won't even pretend to go along with them or wear their uniforms."

Maria was relieved. And she was scared. What did he mean by that? How could he avoid being recruited by the Nazis once they'd taken over?

"What does this mean for our family, Georg?" she wanted to know.

"We can't stay in Austria, it'll be too dangerous. We'll have to flee." There. He said it. It was the only solution and his worst nightmare. He loved his home country dearly, had fought for the empire. But the empire was no more, hadn't been for a while.

"Where? Where will we go?" was Maria's only question.

"Well, first I thought Switzerland would be safe enough. It's famous for being neutral and resilient in light of the dangers. But frankly, it's too close for comfort for me. All the other European countries will somehow be involved in the war sooner or later, either because they'll work with Hitler or they'll fight against him. So, the only solution I have come up with is either Canada or the United States. We'd travel there from Southhampton in England by ship. That way, the children could see their grandparents before we go and I could right some wrongs with them. We don't know if we'll see the Whiteheads again, as it is."

Maria exhaled deeply. That was a lot to take in. England, North America. While she was a rather free spirit, she had never been out of the country. Now these countries required crossing oceans, a different language that she only had a basic grasp of. Georg could see the wheels turning in Maria's head. He hated to have to worry her with this situation, but he wanted to be honest from the very beginning, tell her that the life she'd agree to would be very different from the one they were leading now.

"Maria, our lives will change in the future. While we won't be poor, we will not be as wealthy as we are right now. And we will go in an uncertain future, with a war coming and living in a country very far away."

"Georg, you know me well enough to realize that I don't care about your money. While it's good to know that there will be a roof over our heads, food on the table and clothes to wear for everyone, I can easily do without the balls and jewels and some other senseless past times that the Austrian high society is so fond of. But America! It's so far away! I will have to improve my English skills. We will have to find a way prepare for our travels without arousing suspicion. We can't trust people anymore, can we?"

Georg pulled Maria tightly into his arms. This woman was just amazing! He doubted that Elsa, or any other woman, for that matter, would have sat calmly with him, listen to what he had to say and agree to leave her glittering salons for an uncertain life in a faraway country.

"Maria, I love you. And I promise you I will be with you and our family for every step of the way. We will plan this together, and we will decide where we are going to live together. I have a few ideas as I have some relatives that live across the Atlantic. But it will be a decision of the family where our new home is going to be. But Maria, it is your decision if you want to leave everything you know and come with me and the children."

To say that Maria was overwhelmed was somewhat of an understatement. Life as she knew it was about to disappear. But not only if she decided to go with the von Trapps, but also if she stayed in Salzburg. Georg was sure that a war was coming. And while she hoped that that wouldn't be the case, there were to many signs pointing in that direction.

"I knew something like this would happen. My life will change dramatically, because our future has become unpredictable. But I don't see my life at the Abbey any longer, I haven't for a while, to be honest. And I want to be with you and the children, Georg. I have found love and a home with your family, for the first time in my life I feel like I belong somewhere. And that doesn't have to do with a villa or wealth or things. It has to do with who you are and what you make me feel."

And with that, she leaned into her fiancé and kissed him. Their kiss deepened quickly as Georg gently explored Maria's mouth with his tongue. She responded right away, their tongues starting to dance slowly and sensually. Maria wanted to show him that she would stand by him and support whatever it was that would come up in the future. Georg pulled her even closer, and she turned around and straddled him as they were sitting there, on the ground in the forest.

Georg ran his hands along her waist where he held her to him, caressing her sides and lower until he grasped her backside. Maria moaned into his mouth, feeling him becoming aroused underneath her. She was so focused on kissing her fiancé that she didn't even feel his hands stroking her calves until he reached under her skirts. Both were breathing heavily as they slowly separated, knowing that they had to stop, especially with the children so close.

"Maria, you are part of the family. Have been for a long time, you know that. Nothing could make me happier than your understanding and your coming with me. This situation is totally out of my hands, I would never choose to leave the country if I saw any other way. But unfortunately, there isn't."

"I know, Georg. Let's not dwell on all the might-have-beens, but look forward, to our future. We'll have to plan for our departure, silently but quickly, I suppose."

"Maria, I want to marry you as soon as possible. I want you to be my wife, in every sense of the word."

He grinned at her, and Maria blushed. But, honestly, she wanted that too. She was curious what it was like to be one with him, in mind, body and soul, to feel even more connected to him.

"But more than that, I want you to be my lawfully wedded spouse in these crazy times. I want you to be safe should anything happen to me and I want to make sure that the children and you cannot be separated."

"I want that, too, Georg. I need to go to see the Reverend Mother anyway and talk to her. Do you think you might accompany me and we'll talk to her about the wedding?"

"Yes. Let's telephone her tonight and set up a meeting with her. I know how much she means to you and I also know how much it means to you to get married in church. However, I think we should forego a large wedding with lots of guests and just make it an intimate affair with some close, real friends."

Maria wasn't surprised by that. And while she had no desire to participate in the high society circus, she came up with an idea that might getting out of the country a little easier.

"Georg, you know that I couldn't care less about hundreds of your acquaintances at the cathedral and a big reception afterwards where I will be scrutinized by most of them and their wives. But wouldn't it be smarter to do what is expected? Have the big wedding and go on some outrageous honeymoon? That way, we can bring all we need and have the children come somewhere with Max a few days later?"

"You are amazing, you know that, my darling? I could have used more people like you on my ships", he said, smiling at her. "Yes, that's what we will be doing. We'll travel to Paris, just the two of us. For a week. And then we'll go to Calais where we'll meet up with the children. And Max. There we'll board a ship to England and meet the Whiteheads in London. Hopefully we'll be out of imminent danger by then. And then we'll have to find out when the next passage to America will be."

So it was settled. They would set their plans in motion starting that night with a call to the Mother Abbess. Georg was glad to have shared his worries and plans with her, and even more that she hadn't run for the hills, quite literally, but would be with him every step of the way.

They returned to the children hand in hand, both feeling that they had come even closer. They played with them for a while before starting down the mountain to the car and drove back to Aigen. It was still very hot when they came down from the mountain, but the family agreed that they would have dinner first and then go down to the lake to put their feet in and cool of a little.

* * *

Maria excused herself from that little adventure, she had a project to finish. "I'll put them to bed", Georg said when she started for her room. Pecking her cheek, he leaned close to her ear, "and then I'll fetch you for our swim, alright?" Maria nodded her agreement and made her way upstairs quickly.

She took the fabric and her pattern and went to a nearby, formerly unused room where she had set up a sewing machine and a large table. She cut out the pieces and started making her shift, all the while concentrating on making the garment and forbidding herself to think about her date with her handsome Captain.

Finally, she was done – and she was quite proud of her product. It was a gently floating mixture of a blouse and a dress with a split neckline that went quite low in her opinion. She had also made a belt from a piece of the fabric that she could wrap around her waist to give it a little more shape. With her new shift in hand, she hurried back to her bedroom, freshened up and put her bathing suit.

Never having had a mirror in her cell at the abbey, she took a good look at herself in the full-length mirror that was inside the door of her closet. Maria wasn't vain at all, but she liked what she saw reflected back to her. The suit had a beautiful color and a cut that was revealing for someone who had only ever worn a habit or dresses made from sturdy fabrics. But it covered everything that she wanted covered and still displayed her assets. She slipped on her new shirt and grabbed a towel - and then she had nothing to do but wait for Georg.

She didn't have to wait long before she heard someone gently knock on her door. She opened it to reveal her captain, dressed in a casual pair of pants and the light shirt that he had worn on their hike earlier in the day. When he looked at Maria in the soft light that the setting sun sent through her windows, he was speechless. Never had he seen her in such a short outfit, and with her backlit in the room, he could just imagine her beautiful body underneath.

"You are breathtaking, my darling", he said, walking into her room and taking her in his arms where he proceeded to kiss her, slowly, deeply. Maria was surprised that such a simple garment could provoke such a response from her Captain, but who was she to complain about his kisses?

However, it was quite warm in her room and getting hotter by the minute, it seemed. So, they broke apart and made their way out of her door toward the basement of the villa hand in hand. Where Maria would have picked up her rusty bike, Georg led her to another door and they exited the house on the far end where two bicycles stood on a gravel path, waiting for them. Maria looked at him with a question in her eyes. "I haven't ridden my bike in the longest time, and this is the one that you've used with the children", he explained, having gotten them out of the shed before he picked up his fiancé.

"We don't have any towels, Georg. I forgot mine in my room", she said, turning back toward the house before he caught her arm.

"Don't worry, Maria. I have taken some things down to the lake this afternoon", he said. "Come on, let's go!"

Maria smiled at him and wondered what "things" would be waiting for them and when he had time to do that. But she climbed on her bike and off they went. Both enjoyed the cooler night air as they rode their bikes towards the shore of the lake where Georg had found Maria the previous night.

When they arrived, Maria was at a loss for word. Not only had he brought towels for them to that little patch of grass where she had swum several times in the previous weeks, but he had also laid out a large picnic blanket and some pillows, had a bottle of wine chilling and some tidbits to eat. But he had also set an incredibly romantic atmosphere by lighting many candles in larger and smaller glasses to protect them against the wind.

"Oh Georg, I feel like a princess in a fairy tale", she said between the tears that had started running down her cheeks. She secured her bike and stepped up to him, caressing his cheeks with her hands and pressing her lips to his...

\- SCHNIPP -

So, it has been a while. Real life and all that. And then these chapters start galopping away with me. If you are still with me, please review - and let me know what you think where their little adventure by the lake should go. Will they stay chaste or will they move the wedding night forward?

Unfortunately, I still don't own TSOM ;)


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